Tough Times in Jump City: The original version
by TheForceIsStrongWithThisOne
Summary: An economic crisis hits the country and the Titans are not unaffected. This is the original version of the story, published in 2009. It's been cleaned up a bit. BBxRae, some RobxStar. The rest of the alternate ending is posted. Warning: it's tragic.
1. Chapter 1

This is the original version of the story, which was published in 2009. I removed it after publishing "Reimagined: Tough Times in Jump City". This story is longer than the remake and the plot is different. I plan on posting an update every day.

_**-( - )-**_

Crime was up in Jump City, which wasn't entirely unexpected. The entire country was going through the worst economic downturn since the Great Depression and it had hit hardest in California. Jump City was considered by many to be the jewel of California, but it didn't escape the economic crisis. Unemployment was close to 20% and the city was choking with crime. The city police were overwhelmed dealing with the tsunami of delinquency and the Titans had been working overtime helping to contain the wave of crime, but just could not keep up.

There were times when 5 different alarms would go off, forcing the team to separate with only one Titan assigned to a mission, which Robin abhorred. His long standing rule had forbidden solo missions as they were too dangerous. At first he flat out refused to take that risk, but as violent crime escalated he gave in to the mayor's demands. And the crime had become very violent. Just a few weeks before Raven had been severely wounded by machine gun fire, courtesy of the local branch of the Salvadoran MS-13 gang. The gangs upped the ante during the crisis and many had military grade weaponry at their disposal. Beastboy went into a fit of rage when he saw Raven in the hospital's intensive care unit and it took the other Titans to prevent him from going on a dangerous punitive search for her assailants. Robin judged that Beastboy was too agitated to serve on a mission and ordered him to stay at the hospital to "guard" Raven, knowing well that the changeling had a "secret" crush on her and would accept the order. Robin was relieved that he did. The last thing he needed was a second Titan in intensive care, or worse, at the local morgue. Raven was discharged from the ICU in just a few days and returned to the Tower with Beastboy, who doted on her until her recovery was complete.

The fact that Raven had been blindsided by a bunch of punks with machine guns only confirmed what Robin already suspected: the Titans were overworked and fatigued. There were days when they would get no sleep as they had back to back missions for 24 hours or more. The only thing that was truly surprising was that no had been hurt before. He spoke with mayor about this, saying that the Titans could no longer keep up with the demands being placed on them and that from now on they would resume the buddy system, which meant that the Titans would only be able to respond to two simultaneous missions. The mayor's response was to ask Robin and Cyborg to come to his office. No doubt he was going to give them the hard sell to continue with the solo missions.

_**-( - )-**_

Robin and Cyborg drove the new T-Car to city hall. The previous T-Car was destroyed two months ago during a response to a bank robbery pulled off by a combined team composed of the Hive-5 and the local Crips. Gizmo demolished the fortunately empty at the time vehicle with some of his custom missiles. Cyborg himself was almost been hit by a bazooka shot. It had cost $400,000 to replace the T-Car and Robin was concerned as the Titans were spending money like it was water.

"Our budget is almost exhausted Cy" Robin told the bionic Titan "I've put in a request with the mayor for a budget increase. He's not going to be happy about that."

"What choice does he have?" Cyborg replied with a hint of cockiness "We're indispensable. They need us."

"I know, I know. Still it's going to be difficult to get more funding. Money's tight for the city right now. They've been cutting non-essential expenses left and right."

"Can't Bruce help us out?"

Robin shook his head "He's been funding the Justice League for years and since the stock market crashed he's been strapped for cash. We're going to have to tighten our belts Cy." He sighed before continuing. "We shouldn't have replaced the T-Car. We're almost out of cash. I really wish we had that $400K now."

_**-( - )-**_

City hall was guarded like a fortress as they pulled in. An officer clad in full SWAT gear guided them to a visitor's parking spot and escorted them into the building where they were handed off to another officer who escorted them to the mayor's office on the top floor. As they were guided through the building they were met with hostile glances by city hall staffers, which made Cyborg angry.

"What's their problem? " He grumbled "We put our butts on the line every day for them. You'd think they might show some gratitude."

"Layoffs" Robin replied. "The mayor announced this morning that he's laying off 20% of city hall staff. The Titans are an expensive operation and they resent us. They're blaming us for the layoffs."

"Ok, I get the picture. He's gonna tell us to make do with a budget cut. I can sell some stuff to raise some money."

"We'll go over the new budget tonight with the team; we'll find a way to make ends meet." Robin replied in a weary tone.

As they reached the Mayor's office the receptionist immediately led them in. The mayor had a corner office with large windows that provided a view of Jump Bay. The receptionist closed the doors on the way out.

"Gentleman, please have a seat." Mayor Kristoff asked them somberly.

"It's bad news, isn't it Bill?" Robin asked.

"I'm afraid so, Robin. I don't have to tell you that tax revenue is down 30% this year. At first we were able to cover the revenue shortfalls by cutting non essentials."

"Yes, we know."

"Well, we've exhausted that. Now essential services will be seeing cut backs as well."

"The Titans are ready to make cuts as well, Bill. I already have an amended budget to present you. We are ready to cut back our expenses 30%. And don't worry; we will continue to operate at full capacity. Raven has been cleared to return to full duty."

The Mayor's face betrayed that he had more bad news to share.

"Robin, no one is more grateful than I am for all the Titans have done for Jump City. You saved us from Slade and Terra. You've always been there for us." He paused nervously before continuing.

"The problem I have is that the city can't afford to fund the Teen Titans anymore. We're broke, Robin. I'm sorry, I'm really sorry, but the Titans are an expensive operation. If I let you go I can save over 200 officers from being laid off, and right now we need them more than we need you."

Robin was stunned and speechless. He had not anticipated this.

"You mean you're firing us?"

"I'm sorry Robin, I really am. I even tried to find private sector funding for you, but most companies are more interested in their shrinking profit margins than in keeping you kids around. I even suggested that you might do endorsements, but no one stepped up to the plate."

"It's too bad we're not football players with the Jump City Dragons, how much did that taxpayers chip in for the new stadium?" Robin said bitterly. "It's good to see that this city has its priorities in order."

"Believe me Robin, I did everything I could."

"So what's next?"

"You can stay in the Tower until the end of the quarter. After that we're moving some police operations in there. You can keep all the vehicles as we have no use for them."

"That's just 5 weeks." Robin complained "You expect us to move out that quickly?"

"I'm afraid so."

Cyborg spoke up "And let me guess, since we technically aren't city employees we won't get any severance pay or unemployment benefits, right? Nice!"

"I think perhaps you should leave now." The Mayor opened the door, motioning for them to exit his office."And don't try to use your city credit cards. They've already been cancelled."

As they exited his office Robin turned to face the mayor.

"If you have trouble you know who NOT to call."

As they walked out of city hall Robin's mind was racing. _What am I going to tell the others?_ He worried.


	2. Chapter 2

Robin was still stunned as Cyborg drove the T-Car into the Tower garage. They all called the Tower home for over 4 years. Now the reality of the situation was hitting him, and it was hitting him hard. Unless he could find them a new home in 5 weeks the Titans would be finished.

Robin remained in the car after Cyborg parked it and turned off the engine. What could he do? Where would the Titans live? Why was the Mayor evicting them? Sure, it cost a lot of money to operate the Tower but they could cut expenses.

Realizing that he had no idea of what to do, Robin resolved to contact Bruce for advice.

"Yo Rob! You OK?" Cyborg nudged him. Robin snapped back to reality.

"Uh, yeah, I suppose." He paused before continuing. "Cyborg, don't tell the others. Not yet anyway. I'm not giving up without a fight."

"What are you going to do?"

"Come with me to my office. I'm going to contact Bruce for advice. Maybe we can't stay here, but we might have other options."

Cyborg nodded. "We have to keep our family together. Especially BB and Raven. They have no other family to turn to."

Robin nodded with a frown on his face. He remembered that day they first met. Raven and Beast Boy were homeless, eating their meals and sleeping at the local Salvation Army mission. He could not allow them to end up like that again. He was their leader, he was responsible for them. He would see to it that they would not be separated, no matter what.

Robin and Cyborg rode the elevator up to the common room's floor. His stomach growled and he realized that Raven and Beast Boy would have dinner on the table, as tonight was their turn to prepare the evening meal.

"It's dinner time. We should join them."

"Sure." Cyborg confirmed "I just hope she isn't making pancakes." He joked. Robin laughed, recalling that fateful morning when Raven tried to be nice, and failed most spectacularly.

The elevator's doors skid open. The giant TV was on and tuned into one of the cable news channels. Raven and Beast Boy were seated on the circular couch, their gaze was glued to the news on the TV and they were holding hands, tightly. Some good had come of Raven's injuries. Garfield had lovingly nursed her back to health and the pair had become much closer. Unfortunately they weren't holding hands as part of a romantic moment. Far from it. Starfire was sitting next to them and she was weeping. Robin was confused and the TV provided no clue as there was a commercial break, which ended and was replaced by the news anchors.

'Back to tonight's main headline. We have received unconfirmed reports that the Teen Titans have been dismissed as Jump City's guardian angels and will be forced to move out of their landmark headquarters by the end of the month. Jill?'

'Yes Bill. Several anonymous contacts at city hall in Jump City have confirmed that the Teen Titans will be disbanded as they were unable to secure a private sponsor to replace the funding they used to receive from the local municipal government. Some sources have mentioned that this is in large part because Jump City locals have lost confidence in the Titan's ability to be their guardians, especially when the dark Titan, the sorceress known as Raven, was gunned down by a local gang as is reported to still be disabled and unable to resume her duties…"

Robin walked up to the coffee table in front of the couch, picked up the remote and shut off the TV. He saw that Raven and Beast Boy were still clutching each other's hand and both had stunned expressions their faces.

"Rob, is it true?" Beast Boy asked, wiping away his tears. "Did they really fire us?"

"Yes, it is. We've been fired." His face betrayed a look of defeat. "I'm going to call Bruce to ask him for advice."

He walked up to Starfire, who was still crying. He sat beside her and took both of her hands and kissed her on her forehead.

"We're still the Teen Titans. We're still family. We might not live here anymore, but we'll be together. I promise."

Raven moved and sat next to Robin, hugging him, followed by Beast Boy who placed his hand on Robin's and Starfire's shoulders.

Cyborg spoke up. "Sorry to interrupt guys, but we have an incoming call from Gotham City, on a secure line."

They all knew who it was. As Cyborg patched the call through to the giant screen they all saw that it was indeed Batman.

"Hi Bruce. I see that bad news gets around fast."

"Hello Dick. It does get around fast. So fill me in with the real facts."

Robin looked around at his team, then back at the screen.

"This is the first time they will be hearing it as well. Short story: Jump City is broke and has to make massive budget cuts. It's been costing the city a fortune to fund the Titans and they can no longer continue to fund us. They're shutting us down in 5 weeks and we have to move out of the Tower which will be used by the police department for some undisclosed purpose. We can keep the cars, motorcycles and the T-Ship. I was going to call you to ask you for advice."

Batman nodded before replying.

"I'm a step ahead of you. For starters you can stay temporarily at Wayne Manor. I have also brought this to the Justice League's attention. I'm working on getting you invited to join the League. I'm close to getting invitations for four of you, and I'm still working on the fifth invitation but I have to be honest I have encountered some solid resistance against the fifth team member."

"It's that bitch Zatanna, isn't it" Beast Boy growled "She's always picked on Raven because she's half demon."

"I'd advise you to not describe her like that, Logan. There is opposition to all of you except for Robin. It's taking a lot of work to get you those 4 invitations and once I procure them for you I advise you to accept them. I'll get Raven in but you need to be patient as it will take some time."

"I won't accept any invitation unless my friend Raven is included." Starfire said defiantly. Cyborg and Beast Boy nodded in agreement."

"I understand your solidarity with Raven, but once you're in the Justice League we can procure federal government sponsorship for you. You might even be able to stay in the tower."

"And what's Raven supposed to do? Move into a homeless shelter?" Beast Boy asked angrily.

"She could stay with you as a guest, but not as a Teen Titan."

"Aren't we counting our chickens before they hatch here?" Cyborg asked. "What if those invitations are never extended to us?"

"Then we'll find another solution. And do not worry about Raven. She is always welcome to stay at Wayne Manor."

Raven stood and faced the image on the screen. "Thanks Bruce, your hospitality means a lot to me, as I have nowhere else to turn. The Titans are my only family anywhere. I can't imagine that anyone would hire me and give me a job. I don't see how I could support myself."

"Actually, the Federal government would love to hire you. They'd love to have access to your powers for espionage, but I don't think that you would be very happy as a spook for the Feds. And the reason I know this is because they have already contacted the Justice League in the past. They want to hire all of you. But you would be separated, and I know you don't want that."

Robin nodded. "Thanks Bruce. We'll make preparations to move to Gotham in the interim. We'll start shipping our belongings to Oracle's various sham businesses."

Batman nodded. "Good. Now get some rest. I'm sure that today has been a rough one for you. We'll be in touch tomorrow." With that farewell Batman signed off, severing the link.

"He's right, we need some rest. And there won't be any missions until further notice. " He added with a sigh. "You're dismissed."

Raven took Beast Boy's hand and led him to the elevator, which headed down after the doors closed. Cyborg started cleaning the kitchen while Starfire and Robin sat down on the circular couch. She leaned against her short boyfriend and rested her head on his shoulder.

"I do not wish to leave our home, Robin."

"It never really was ours Star; it always belonged to the city."

"I still find your Earthly customs to be strange Robin. How can someone not have a home to call their own?"

"You can Star, you just need money to buy one."

"You humans! With you it is always about the money." She said with a frown on her face. She stood and looked out the window and her frown was replaced with a grin. Robin got up to see what she was looking at. It was Raven and Beast Boy, down by the shore. They were kissing and engaging in some heavy petting. Robin drew the curtain closed while ignoring Starfire's protests.

"Give them their privacy, Star. It's the one good thing that's happened lately and I don't want to ruin it."

"What did I miss?" Cyborg asked with a huge grin.

"Cy, don't you dare tease them. You saw how the news affected them. The last thing we need is for them to stress out, especially Raven. You know how private she can be. They'll tell us about their relationship when they're good and ready. Is that clear?"

"Chill out man. I just wanted to sneak a peek."

"Fine, but make it a quick one. And if she catches you don't come crying to me."

Starfire interrupted. "What's going to happen to us, Robin?"

"I don't know. All I know is that we'll stay together. That's a promise."

_**-( - )-**_

Someone else was also watching the news and was pleased with what he saw. After so many years of struggling with the Titans things couldn't be better. Raven was almost eliminated and so far had remained unfit for duty, while Beast Boy had sat on the sidelines as well while the remaining Titans were swamped, unable to keep up with the crime wave that consumed the city. A crime wave that he had masterminded and brokered behind the scenes, no one the wiser that he was behind it all. And now this! It was like receiving an early Christmas present.

"Well, well" he said in his steady deadpan monotone "It appears that the citizens of Jump City have done our job for us. And all it took was an economic calamity. I like it when things turn out our way, don't you agree, partner?"

"You mean your way Slade. You got what you wanted, but I certainly didn't." a female voice replied.

"Don't blame your failure on me. I let you organize the ambush to eliminate Raven, which I might add was a very good ambush. She took eleven bullets into her abdomen. We can't help it if they all missed her vital organs and that Starfire was nearby to rush her to the hospital."

"It doesn't matter Slade, my business is unfinished and you will help me finish it."

"What is it with your obsession with the Changeling, partner?"

"Don't call me that. We both know very well that you are just using me to take the city back once the Titans are gone. But unless I have Beast Boy the deal's off. And to get Beast Boy…"

"…we have to eliminate Raven. Listen to me, Terra, he is lost to you. Forget about him. I would like nothing more than to send Raven off to meet her father, but I really have nothing to gain from doing that and plenty to lose. The Titans won't be asked to leave if my presence becomes known. Anyway, you had a second opportunity to eliminate her, and you squandered that as well."

_**-( - )-**_

Terra watched Starfire rush Raven to the hospital and she cursed her wretched luck. The only thing she could do at the time was to follow the news, which eventually did report that Raven had been shot several times and was in the intensive care unit at Jump City Central Hospital. She had changed into a nurse's uniform and waited in the shadows after locating the T-Car in the hospital parking lot. After what felt like an eternity she saw Cyborg, Starfire and Robin get into the car and leave. She wondered where BB was and figured that he must have either left earlier or perhaps had flown back to the Tower as a bird. In any case it was past 11 PM and visitor hours where over. She opened her backpack, checking that the pistol and silencer were in the backpack.

She hopped on a rock and floated to the top of the hospital, landing in the roof. The helipad wasn't in use at the moment and no one else was there. She found the stairwell and worked her way down quietly. She had done her homework and knew that the ICU was on the 5th floor and when she exited the stairwell it was done with the greatest of stealth, hoping that if anyone saw her, that her disguise would shield her from being recognized. She walked down the hallway until she found Raven's room. She grabbed the pistol in the bag, leaving it there to keep it hidden until the last moment. She pushed the door open.

And saw Beast Boy sitting next to Raven's bed. From the look on his face it was evident that he had been crying. Raven looked awful. She had a ventilator in her mouth, while her hair was plastered over her head and face, sweaty and dirty. Her skin was as pale as the moon as opposed to its usual Goth gray. An EKG beeped in the background as Beast Boy stroked her head with one hand, while holding her free hand with his other hand, kissing her fingers. Her blood boiled at the sight and she felt no compassion for the wounded sorceress.

He looked up and was shocked.

"Terra! What are you doing here? And why are you dressed like a nurse?"

"Uh, hi, BB. It was in the news that Raven had been injured so I came to see her. I had to sneak in since I missed visitor hours. What happened to her? She looks terrible."

Beast Boy frowned at Terra's remark. "She was shot by some punk with a machine gun. She's in bad shape, Terra. She flat-lined once in the operating room. We almost lost her." He said in whisper.

Terra did her best to fake a concerned look on her face.

"Why didn't they kick you out? I mean, visitors' hours are over." she asked Beast Boy.

"Next of kin" he replied. "Robin told the staff that Raven and I are married so I could stay at her side."

"I see" Terra replied, accidentally dropping her façade of concern for a brief moment, which did not go unnoticed by Beast Boy. "Well I'd better run before a real nurse sees me." she said before pecking Beast Boy on the cheek and left.

_Damn! He's gonna be here all night. I'll need another plan._ She fumed as she left.

Beast Boy pulled his communicator out and called Robin.

"Robin! Beast Boy here. Look, we gotta get Raven out of the hospital as soon as we can. Yeah, listen, Terra showed up here a few minutes ago dressed like a nurse. Don't ask how I know, but I'm convinced she came here to hurt Raven"

Robin ran a quick check on Terra. She had vanished 4 months ago. No one at Murakami High School had any idea of what happened to her and neither did her foster parents.

Within 15 minutes there were 2 armed police officers guarding the entrance to Raven's room.

_**-( - )-**_

"You could have taken both of them out, Terra. There's no way Beast Boy would have reacted in time." Slade teased her. "I would love to see Robin's face after that."

"Shut up Slade, just shut up!"

Slade chuckled. "Now Terra, don't get angry. It was just a friendly little joke. Of course you are welcome to try to get into the Tower before they leave, if you can. Cyborg will probably leave the security system in place until the last minute."

"Very funny, Slade. You should try out Open Mike Night at the Improv. So where are they going anyway?"

"There hasn't been an official announcement and I don't expect that there will be one, but I'm certain that the Dark Knight will take them in. It just wouldn't do to have the Titans in a homeless shelter, now would it?"

"As long as I can get Raven to check into the cemetery I couldn't care less where the others are."

"Terra, as I already said, he is lost to you. Let them run off to Gotham. Batman will keep them busy there and they will never bother us again."

Slade turned back to his monitor, which was still tuned into the news channel.

'This just in. There are reports that Titans East has had their funding pulled by Steele City ….'

Slade changed the input on the monitor to a DVD player and dropped a disc into the player's tray.

"When it rains it pours, doesn't it Terra? Now, I want to show you something, something that will convince you that he is lost to you. This was recorded just an hour ago."

The video showed Beast Boy and Raven making out in what they thought was a secluded cove. The image had been recorded from somewhere in the ocean, as it was evident by the bobbing that was visible in the image. After just two minutes Terra hit the stop button on the player.

"It goes on for thirty more minutes. Now are you convinced, partner?"

"Yes, I see, he belongs to her. I lost." _But that doesn't mean I won't kill her anyway._

_**-( - )-**_

It always bugged me that there was never an explanation given in the show as to how they paid for all their wonderful toys (T-Ship, T-Car, etc.) and the Tower on a private island. It seems to me that they would need some serious coin to live like that, which was the inspiration for this story. I know that in the old comics Cyborg's dad built the Tower (which was in New York City) and paid most of the bills but he was a non entity on the show.


	3. Chapter 3

Two weeks had passed since the Titans had received their walking papers. They spent the first two weeks collecting items to throw out. It took a whole week to weed out all the junk in the basement alone.

Starfire was taking it the hardest. Every item in the basement had a memory attached to it for her, and she was unable to part with anything, no matter how worthless it actually was. The others had no idea that Starfire was a closet packrat, but the junk had to go to make room for the new police department equipment that would be arriving in just over 3 weeks. Only the most special items were to be shipped to Gotham City. Everything else went into the huge dumpster in the garage.

Now that the common junk was done the Titans could focus on their own rooms. Raven and Beast Boy were busy dejunking Beast Boy's room, which wasn't a task for the faint of heart. They were both wearing sweat pants and T-shirts while they collected the trash from the floor, and Raven wore latex gloves, muttering under her breath that her boyfriend was a pig. They filled several 30 gallon trash bags with all sorts of rubbish. The final pass of the trash sweep were the bunk beds. Beast Boy agreed to go under the lower bunk, as Raven feared what she might find under there. Instead she stripped the lower bunk of its sheets and blankets, collecting whatever trash she found along the way. She tossed the sheets into a huge hamper where all of Beast Boy's clothes that littered the floor had been placed. By the time Beast Boy emerged from the underneath the lower bunk Raven was stripping the upper bunk. He sat on the lower bunk while Raven stretched and stood on her tip toes to reach the back of the upper bunk, giving Beast Boy a good view of her midriff. Normally he would have enjoyed the view, as Raven had always been modest regarding her navel area. This time however he did not as the scars from her life saving surgery were still visible. He remembered well the first time he saw them.

_**-( - )-**_

It was the day Raven was being released from the ICU and would be heading home to continue her recovery in the Tower's infirmary. Raven regained consciousness the night before and was fairly lucid that morning. Beast Boy had been there when she first woke up. He was asleep, leaning on the edge of her bed, his head lying next to her hand. She picked up her hand and caressed the crown of his head, waking him.

"Oh, you're awake." He said sleepily, and then "RAVEN! YOU'RE AWAKE!" as he bolted to his feet. He whipped out his communicator, oblivious that it was 3 o'clock in the morning.

"Beast Boy to Robin, Beast Boy to Robin" he shouted into his communicator.

"Robin here" a sleepy boy wonder moaned. "This had better be important, Beast Boy".

"Rae's awake, Robin, she's awake!" He turned to Raven, who was giving him a weak smile. "Hey, I gotta go. See you here in the morning!" he hung up and ran to Raven's side.

He kissed her forehead. "How are you feeling?"

Her eyes popped open from the surprise of the gentle kiss she had received. She still had the ventilator in her mouth and answered with the universal "so-so" gesture using her hand.

Beast Boy ran to get a nurse to remove the ventilator.

Raven used her at the moment limited powers to heal herself a little before Beast Boy returned with a doctor and a nurse. After examining Raven she authorized the removal of the ventilator. Raven informed the doctor that she was about to enter a healing trance and that once she awoke she should be ready to go home. The doctor explained what had happened to her and that she would be the judge of when Raven could leave the hospital. Raven rolled her eyes. The doctor then asked the nurse to change Raven's bandages. Beast Boy got up to leave.

"You probably want your privacy for this." He said as started leaving the room.

"No, stay. You don't have to leave." She called him back.

"Ok, whatever you say." He replied nervously. The Titans had all seen each other's behinds in the infirmary (except for Cyborg's, since he no longer had a real one). He was worried about seeing her wounds though.

The nurse rolled the blanket down and lifted Raven's hospital gown. She was covered in bandages, which the nurse carefully began to remove. Raven grabbed Beast Boy's hand and he realized the she too was scared of what the wounds might look like. Beast Boy had a better vantage point than Raven did, so she watched his face instead. As the bandages came off he could not hide his mild horror. Raven's midsection was a bloody mess of stitches. There were several large cuts that had been stitched up. And who knew how much internal damage had been repaired? He squeezed her hand tight. The nurse cleaned the wounds, applied a topical antibiotic to them before applying the new bandages and covering her up. She then gave her an antibiotic shot and left the room once she was done, reminding Beast Boy and Raven to call if Raven needed anything.

Once the nurse was gone Raven whispered to Beast Boy "It looks that bad, huh?" Beast Boy nodded silently.

"Will you stay with me while I'm in my healing trance?" she asked him.

"Of course, where else would I go?" he replied with a smile. Raven squeezed his hand and closed her eyes. Within seconds she began to levitate. She stayed in her trance until the Titans arrived the next morning. The doctor on duty was astounded with Raven's rate of recovery and agreed that she could continue to recover in the Tower's infirmary.

_**-( - )-**_

"Hey Romeo, snap out of it. My scarred midriff isn't that sexy."

"Uh, wha.., oh , sorry!" he said.

"I'm hungry, let's get some dinner." She grabbed his wrist and pulled him up from the lower bunk.

The young couple ran down to the common room where the others had gathered for a late dinner. Starfire saw them enter the common room together, holding hands. While she was happy for them she was also feeling bitter as their newfound closeness reminded her of how distant Robin had been lately. Every time she asked him to do something together he always said that he was too busy. Cyborg noticed this too and they had chatted about it. Starfire had confided in him that she was thinking of returning to Tamaran permanently, as there was no longer any reason for her to stay on Earth. Cyborg assured her that she was wrong.

Cyborg was in the kitchen making homemade pizza. Since the announcement of their dismissal the Titans had become pariahs in their own town and decided to not venture out anymore. No pizzeria would deliver to the Tower either. "That's gratitude for you" Raven grumbled the first night everyone refused to deliver. Raven and Beast Boy volunteered to make a salad to have with the meal, and Cyborg noticed Starfire watch them with envy. He brought the baked pizzas to the table, sitting opposite Robin who looked disturbed.

"Yo Rob, what's the matter? It can't be anything that my patented Stone family pizza won't fix."

Robin grabbed a slice and dropped it on his plate.

"I just found out that the Justice League turned us down by a 2 to 1 vote."

"Dude! No freaking way!" Beast Boy moaned, his ears drooping. "Now what do we do?"

"Move into Wayne Manor, I guess." Robin looked defeated. It was one thing to lose to an enemy, but to be forsaken by 'friends' was even worse.

The Titans ate their meal silently. After they were done Raven and Beast Boy collected the dishes, rinsed them and loaded them into the dishwasher. Then they continued with what for them had become a nightly ritual. Raven picked a movie while Beast Boy grabbed some cans of soda and a bag of pretzels. They wished their friends a good night and headed to her room to watch the movie. Beast Boy always fell asleep on Raven's bed before the movie ended and they would spend the night together. Once again, Starfire watched with envy as the couple walked out of the common room.

"Robin, would you like to watch a movie with me in my room." She asked halfheartedly, already knowing his answer.

"Sorry Star, I've got work to …oww!" Robin looked up at Cyborg, who was still sitting across from him. Cyborg had just kicked him in the shin.

"He'd love to, Star. Why don't you pick a movie and make yourself comfy in your room. I'll send him right over after I have a quick word with him."

Starfire brightened and after picking a movie she headed off to her room.

"What was that about?" Robin complained as he rubbed his bruised shin.

"Your lady is thinking about going back to Tamaran, that's what."

Robin's eyes popped open wide "She is? Why?"

"Because you're ignoring her, stupid!"

"Is she serious? Great, now what do I do?"

"For starters, you will change into your pajamas and go watch that movie with her. And if she asks you to stay, you stay."

"That's it?"

"No, that's not it. Tomorrow morning you'll go out and buy her a Promise Ring. Then you'll take her out to dinner and give it to her."

"You seem to have this all figured out" Robin remarked. "What's a Promise Ring?

"That's because I'm not a clueless bird brain like you. And a promise ring is a promise that you will someday ask her to marry you."

"Marry her!?"

"Need I remind you that Tamaran is light years away and is full of tall young men who would be more than happy to marry Princess Koriand'r?"

Robin sighed. "Ok, fine. Why do things like this always have to be so difficult?"

"Because you neglect her all the time, doofus. Now get going."

_**-( - )-**_

Raven was very quiet as they set up the room for movie night. They had already changed into their pajamas, set up a tray for the snacks and drinks, popped the DVD disc into the player and were cozy in the bed. Raven finally spoke.

"Gar, I want to ask you something and you don't have to answer right away. It's important so I want you to think carefully before you answer."

"Sure Rave, fire away" the changeling answered.

"Listen, I've been thinking about this a lot. If the Titans break up I'm going back to Azarath. When Trigon perished it was also restored from its destruction. I'd be welcomed there."

"You mean you'd leave?" he replied. She could see his eyes tremble.

"There's more." She paused before continuing. "I want you to come with me. Would you?"

"Are you serious? We've only been a couple for a few months."

The changeling could still remember the day he asked Raven to be his girlfriend. It was the day before she was shot. She was unable to hide the look of surprise and shock on her face as she was not expecting that question. She didn't answer him that day, and he was afraid that was going to turn him down. It wasn't until she woke up in the ICU that she gave him her answer.

"I am serious. Are you saying you don't want to come with me?"

"What? No! Of course I want to come." He gurgled.

"Then it's settled. When the others head off to Gotham, we'll go to Azarath."

"I can do that? I can go there? I thought Azarath was closed to outsiders."

"It is, but I can get you permission to live there."

"How?"

"As my fiancé."

"Are you serious?!"

She nodded.

"I thought I'm supposed to ask you!" He complained.

"Looks like I beat you to the punch … but I should ask you the right way. Garfield Logan, will you …"

"Yes, I will" He interjected happily. She rewarded him with a small Raven smile.

"I know it seems sudden, but we don't have to get married right away, we can wait and take our time."

"Can we really get married? I know you're 18, but I'm still 17 …"

"The age of consent on Azarath is 16." She calmly replied.

"Consent? You mean …"

"Under Azarathian law we're old enough." She finished his sentence for him. He replied with a happy grin.

"Cool!"

They hugged each other and settled down to watch the movie Raven had picked: "Finding Forrester". And this time Beast Boy didn't fall asleep.

_**-( - )-**_

It looks like the team is doomed. Will Robin be able to keep them together?


	4. Chapter 4

It was the morning of the Titans last day in the Tower. It was dark and raining outside, fitting weather for their last day in Jump City. Cyborg was the first one up. There was really no reason to get up early anymore as they had no missions assigned. The other four had been sleeping in later and later as the final week had progressed. This didn't really surprise Cyborg. He figured that if he had someone to cuddle with he wouldn't get up early either.

He walked back into the kitchen and poured himself his fourth cup of coffee. The common room was almost been stripped bare now, only the couch and the giant screen TV remained in the room. It was past 9AM and he decided to watch the local morning news show. As he turned on the TV he caught the beginning of a story about the Titans last day in Jump City. As expected it wasn't a flattering piece. It completely ignored all the heroics they had performed over the years, like the time when they had all (except Beast Boy) risked drowning to save the city from a Brother Blood's tidal wave. Memories were indeed short. Instead the reporter focused on how the Titans had become a money pit for the city, living in luxury while Jump City had to slash spending on programs for the poor. In hindsight it was a mistake to spend so much money, but no one complained every time they saved the city.

Starfire and Robin wandered in, still in their pajamas. She was proudly sporting the Promise Ring Robin had given her a few weeks before. He took her all the way to Santa Barbara to avoid the unfriendly crowds in Jump City and had a pleasant dinner there. The ring was the icing on the cake and since that evening Starfire was once again her bubbly self. Robin, upon threat of death from Cyborg, lavished her with attention since that day. Starfire wouldn't be going back to Tamaran, Cyborg congratulated himself.

The couple poured themselves some coffee and joined Cyborg on the couch. Cyborg muted the TV.

"They just won't let up, will they?" Cyborg complained "We've become the city's punching bag."

"In hindsight building the Tower out here in the middle of the bay where everyone can see it wasn't such a good idea." Robin added. "It's like having a big 'kick me' sign on our backs."

"I am glad it is raining." Starfire said "I cannot believe that the Mayor wanted to have a farewell for us in City Park. Now it is cancelled, for which I am glad."

"Amen sister!" Beast Boy greeted his friends. He and Raven were also in their pajamas. Raven started to make some tea for the two of them, this time Earl Gray.

The news came back from the commercial break and Cyborg unmuted the TV. The news anchor was starting on a new story.

"Amid all the gloomy economic news on this dreary morning there is a ray of hope, of good news. We have just learned that a new factory will be opening soon right here in Jump City, and the most advanced robots will be built there. We are fortunate enough to have the businessman responsible for this good news right here in our studio. "

The camera panned back as the anchor turned to her left to face her guest. He was dressed impeccably in a fine Italian suit.

"Mr. Slade Wilson welcome to Good Morning Jump City."

There was a sound of a crash in the kitchen as Raven had dropped her teapot on the floor.

"Thanks Meredith, but please, just call me Slade."

"Sure thing, Slade. So before we start talking about the factory I'm sure our viewers are curious and I hope you can forgive me …"

"You want to know about the mask. It's quite simple really. Some years ago I suffered an accident. Unfortunately my injuries are beyond the skill of any plastic surgeon, so I wear the mask."

The Titans were standing, facing the TV; all of them were red in the face. Beast Boy was stroking Raven's back, soothing her so that she wouldn't destroy the common room in her anger.

The news anchor continued to interview Slade, who went on about how he was going to create over 1000 good paying jobs. He elaborated how he felt he owed this to Jump City after we had done in the past.

"Jump City could use more upstanding citizens like you. You are a true hero Slade."

Upon hearing those words Starfire slammed her coffee mug into the floor, shattering it. Her face was a vortex of fury.

"Looks like they don't just forget the good deeds, they forget the evil ones too" Raven remarked, her voice dripping with contempt "I don't know about you guys, but I'm ready to wash my hands of this ungrateful city."

"Me too!" Beast Boy added.

Starfire walked to the windows, opened one and screamed as loud as she could "XHal's curses be upon you, Jump City!" She turned to her friends. "I say we leave now!"

"I'd love to, Star." Robin replied "But the Mayor and the Commissioner will be here at 1 PM to officially take possession of the Tower. Once we 'hand them keys' we can get the hell out of here."

"Oh that's great! What are we supposed to do for the next 4 hours?" Beast Boy griped.

Raven took his hand "Let's go meditate together." He followed her out the door.

"Meditate my ass." Cyborg said under his breath, as he smirked.

"Don't be jealous friend Cyborg, it does not become you." Starfire chided him in a friendly manner.

"So what are you two waiting for? Aren't you also going back to your room to make out?"

"We are." Robin smirked "But first we're having some breakfast first."

_**-( - )-**_

It was raining even harder when Beast Boy and Raven got back to her room.

"This is it Rae. Tonight we'll be gone. This won't be your room anymore." He said sadly, his ears drooping.

"Our room." She corrected him "It won't be our room anymore" she whispered.

"Yeah, I'm gonna miss Jump City"

"Well I won't!" Raven replied "And not just because of the way things are now."

"What do you mean Raven?"

"They made fun of us Gar, you and me. They made fun of your green skin. I was the 'creepy Goth'. Like we had a choice with how we look. I didn't tell you this, but the morning before I was shot some idiots pelted me with eggs and called me a gray witch."

"You should have turned them into toads." he replied deadpan.

Raven shoved him with both of her arms and he landed on his back on the bed. She followed him and landed on top of him.

"Yeah, that would have been fun." She said with a seductive smile. Then she looked lost in thought.

"Gar, I don't want to go to Gotham. There's nothing there for us."

"You mean you want to go to Azarath today?"

"Yes, I do. Will you still come with me?"

_**-( - )-**_

One o'clock arrived sooner than anyone expected. The Titans had their luggage packed into the T-Ship. Starfire was dressed the way she was when she first arrived, wearing her Tamaranian battle armor. Raven wore her white cape and leotard, with the hood up. The men wore their usual attire. The Mayor and the Commissioner arrived by helicopter and were followed by several media helicopters as well, much to Robin's dismay. The last thing he wanted was a media circus.

Cyborg met the Mayor and his entourage on the roof and brought them in a slowly as possible, even though the downpour had not let up. He led them into the common room where the reporters set up their cameras and microphones. The Mayor was going to milk this for all it was worth.

The Mayor stepped up to the makeshift podium first. He gave a long speech worthy of any politician talking about how in the past 3 weeks the police had been able to restore peace and order and how now with the "Law and Order Tower" the police would redouble their efforts to keep the city safe and free from crime. Only at the very end did he acknowledged the Titan's contributions over the years and thanked them for their efforts. He then yielded the podium to Robin.

"Thank you Mr. Mayor. It was a privilege and an honor to serve Jump City."

Just as Robin was about the step down a dark haired photographer moved forward, her camera in her face.

"Robin, could we get a shot of the Titans together?" she asked.

"Sure." He replied, pleasantly surprised. He motioned the others to join him on the podium. As they slowly moved in he fielded some questions from the press.

"Is it true that you are headed to Gotham City and will be staying with Batman?"

"Sorry, I cannot tell you where we are going."

"Is it true that you and Starfire are now engaged?"

Starfire had just stepped up to the podium and took his hand. He decided to give her an early Christmas present.

"Yes, we are."

The room was abuzz as the reporters whipped out their cell phones to report the breaking news. Maybe the Titans weren't pariahs after all. The five were now next to the podium. It was Beast Boy, Raven, Starfire and Robin in the front and Cyborg stood behind them. The first photographer began to snap some shots and was joined in by some others.

She quickly dropped her camera, produced a pistol and aimed it at Raven. Starfire, thanks to her Tamaranian eyes had not been blinded by the flashes and pushed Raven away. The woman fired two shots, which bounced off of Starfire's battle armor. Before she could get a third shot off Beast Boy had morphed into a tiger and batted the woman's head with one of his paws, knocking her down.

As she fell on the ground Beast Boy resumed his human form and grabbed her hair, which turned out to be a wig, which he removed.

"Terra?" He asked in shock. "What the hell are you doing?"


	5. Chapter 5

Terra regained her consciousness and stared up at Beast Boy, who was pinning her down.

"BB!" she grinned at him.

"Don't you 'BB' me!" He growled as he began to morph back into a tiger. In his fury he raised his right paw with his claws fully extended, ready to slash Terra into small ribbons. He felt a strong grip on his paw and was unable to strike. He saw that is was Starfire who had restrained him.

"No, Beast Boy. Do not harm her! It is not the Titan way!" she pleaded with him.

Beast Boy returned to his human form, throwing Terra to the floor. He bolted to Raven, who was just getting up from the floor.

"Rave, are you OK?" he wrapped his arms around her. She was paler than usual from the fright she had received. Her breath was shallow and it took a moment for her to regain her breath before responding.

Why am I not surprised that she's back!" Raven seethed.

The police subdued Terra, and she had a gun to her head to keep her from trying anything. The Commissioner looked to Robin, his face was pleading for assistance. They didn't know how to handle Terra and were terrified of her powers.

"Looks like you have this under control." Robin announced. "We're leaving now. Goodbye."

And with that Robin walked to the elevator followed by three Titans and a still much shaken Raven who looked furious and was being soothed by Beast Boy and Starfire.

The Titans rode the elevator to the hangar deck in silence. As the elevator doors opened the T-Ship awaited them. Raven and Beast Boy trailed behind. Beast Boy could sense the rage Raven was feeling.

"Uh, Rave, maybe this isn't the best time to leave for Azarath."

She nodded her head in agreement. "You're right. I can't go there feeling like this."

Beast Boy led her to her compartment in the T-Ship. He covered her with a blanket as the others climbed into their own compartments. Robin was in the pilot's compartment going over the pre-flight checklist.

"I'll be right back."

He ran to Cyborg and spoke briefly with him. He then hurried back to Raven's compartment. As soon s he sat down he flipped an intercom switch to connect to Robin's and Cyborg's compartments.

"Robin! Go sit with Star. She needs you bad! Cy, you fly us to Gotham."

"Beast Boy, there's no time for this…." Robin protested.

"Yo Rob, he's right. Get your sorry ass over there. I'll fly us to Gotham."

Robin reluctantly clambered out of the main cockpit and quickly joined Starfire in hers. She curled up to him as he closed the canopy. Beast Boy shut off his intercom and put on a headset. He closed Raven's canopy as Cyborg fired up the engines. As he sat down next to her she wrapped her arms around him and rested her head on his shoulder. Cyborg then gently lifted the T-Ship off the ground and flew it smoothly out of the hangar. It was still raining as the jet emerged from the tower. Cyborg banked it left while he confirmed his flight plan with air traffic control. It would be a subsonic flight to Gotham, a solid 5 hours. As the T-Ship gained altitude and headed eastward Beast Boy watched the Tower shrink away until it was no longer visible. They were leaving in anger, yet he had good memories from both the city and the Tower. Just like Robin, he met the love of his life in Jump City. He smiled as he recalled how shy and insecure Raven was that day, and he chuckled when he remembered how Star had raided the candy display at the video rental store. Ten minutes into the flight and Raven was sound asleep. He kissed her gently on lips and snuggled up with her, and soon joined her in peaceful slumber.

Robin also watched the Tower recede, but was having different feelings about it. They were leaving with their tail between their legs, run out of town by the very people they had risked their lives to protect. Terra had nearly murdered Raven in front of the Jump City press corp. And to add insult to injury their mortal enemy Slade was being lauded as a hero. It was his fault. He was their leader and had failed them. Now he was headed back to Gotham, where he would probably end up being Batman's sidekick again. He couldn't allow that to happen, he had to keep the team together. As he sighed he felt a pair of lips on his cheek. He turned and gazed into her alien green eyes. She peeled his mask off and began to kiss him passionately. He recalled that he had promised to marry her in front of dozens of witnesses. As he returned her kiss he decided that was the one smart thing he had done that day.

Cyborg sat alone in cockpit, spying on the two couples via video cameras in each compartment.

"I need to get me a girlfriend." He moaned to himself.

_**-( - )-**_

Raven and Beast Boy woke up about halfway to Gotham. Beast Boy glanced over at Starfire's compartment lifting himself with his arm to get a better look. They were both asleep. As he lowered himself back down his hand slipped and he hit a few switches, which turned on the lights in the compartment and turned off the ventilation. He quickly restored the switches to their original positions and sat back down next to his still secretly betrothed girlfriend.

"How are we going to tell them Rave?" he broke the silence. "We can't just drop the bomb on them can we?"

"How else can we tell them we're leaving?" she replied. "There is no painless way, Gar."

"I guess not. I'm not looking forward to telling them."

"Neither am I. They are going to take it very personally" she replied.

Changing the subject he continued. "So what's our new home like? What do people do for fun in Azarath?"

"It's very serene."

"Like a monastery huh?"

"Not quite that serene. Except at the monastery of course."

Beast Boy chuckled. "So what are Azarathian weddings like? Do they throw big bashes? Will I have to wear a goofy looking outfit for our wedding?"

"Actually no. Weddings are private affairs, just the bride and groom and two witnesses."

"Really? That's weird. Oh well, I guess that means no bridal registry either, huh?"

Raven laughed hard enough to have a snort escape.

"Actually Gar, there are some cultural issues you probably need to know about Azarath. For one thing it's a Matriarchal society. You know what that means, right?"

"You mean the wives call all the shots? I don't see how that's all that different from here." He joked.

"Be serious Gar. There are major implications. Men can't own property. And women can have multiple husbands."

His eyes opened wide in surprise. "You mean I'm gonna have to share you with other dudes?!"

"Certainly not. Ours will always be a relationship of equals Gar, no matter what Azarathian law says. But people will refer to you as my 'first', because you will be my primary husband" she answered. She saw the concern in his eyes. "And my only husband" she added. "You do trust me, don't you?"

"I trust you with my own life, Raven."

She took his hand and kissed it tenderly.

"You have no idea how much that means to me. Believe me Gar; I will put your needs above mine, always."

Beast Boy sniffed and wiped a few tears from his eyes. "I promise you the same Raven." He squeezed her hand tightly.

"Anyway, the ceremony couldn't be simpler. I ask you the words "Will you be my husband?" and if you say "I will" then we are married.

"That's it? No vows?" Beast Boy asked.

_**-( - )-**_

Cyborg sat petrified in the cockpit as Raven's response was overhead through the intercom.

"_No, there are no vows. A couple's duties to each other are clearly spelled out in the Azarathian code of law. Husbands obey their wives and impregnate them when requested. The wives provide financial support. Divorce is not permitted. Azarathian marriages aren't romantic. We'll have to keep our romantic life secret, as it would be frowned upon. Most Azarathians have sexual relations only a handful of times in their entire lives…._."

Cyborg shut off the intercom. Beast Boy had left it on by accident when he slipped. He had heard the whole conversation.

_What do I do now? Do I confront them? Should I tell Robin and let him handle it? And why the hell are they leaving? I should have known it was a bad idea to let them become a couple. Oh crap!_

There were over two hours to go until they arrived at Gotham. Knowing that he would probably regret it, he flipped the intercom on.

"Robin … are you awake?"

"We are now. What's the matter?"


	6. Chapter 6

"You can't be serious Cyborg, it has to be a prank, you know how Beast Boy is, always trying to pull one on us" Robin pontificated.

"Beast Boy sure, but Raven?" Cyborg replied "Raven doesn't do pranks."

"She didn't do Stankball either, and now she's the undisputed champ. She's Beast Boy's girlfriend now, so I don't think she's beyond pranks."

"I don't know man. They sounded awfully serious."

"You worry too much. Now if you don't mind, we have a nap to take."

"Wait Robin. I think Cyborg might be right." Starfire interrupted.

"What do you mean Star?"

"A few weeks ago I went to Raven's room. Before I knocked on her door I overheard her telling Beast Boy about wanting to go to Azarath if the team broke up and she asked him to go with her. I fear that what Cyborg heard is true."

Robin rubbed his forehead. "We'll deal with this when we get to Gotham."

_**-( - )-**_

Two hours later the T-Jet was over Gotham. Since they had a special transponder that identified them as members of the Bat Clan they were given clearance to skip landing at Gotham International. Robin took the controls and flew the jet out over the ocean; he then took it down low, with its lights and transponders off. Skimming the waves he flew it into a cavern that only opened as the approached it. Once inside he lowered the speed and landed it on a free platform. After being cooped up for 5 hours the Titans were ready to stretch their legs. They were also hungry as it was late in the evening.

Curiously only Barbara Gordon and Alfred were there to meet them. Starfire knew that Barbara and Richard had once shared a romantic interest in each other, but were now just good friends. Still, she felt a little uneasy about Richard being around an old flame. Even though Barbara was confined to a wheelchair since the Joker shot her, Starfire could see that Barbara possessed a striking beauty that in some ways she herself lacked. Starfire reminded herself that it was she who had Richard's Promise Ring on her finger. She had chuckled at how surprised he was when he learned that she knew what a Promise Ring was, when he, an Earthling, did not. She loved her Richard, but she had to admit that at times he could be truly clueless.

"Good Evening Titans. I'm afraid that Masters Bruce and Tim could not be here tonight. Some unexpected business with Dr. Crane I'm afraid. I have some supper prepared for you if you'll follow me. And don't mind your luggage; I will take care of that for you while you have your meal. Oh, and welcome home Master Richard."

"Who's Tim?" Raven asked.

"He's the new Robin." Alfred replied.

Everyone turned to Richard with a "What the hell?" look on their faces.

"I guess I should have told you this. I'm changing my hero name…."

"TO NIGHTWING!" Starfire exclaimed with glee. She still remembered how dashing Richard looked as a fully grown man in his Nightwing costume in the future.

"That is correct." Alfred affirmed. "And we have your new costumes ready for you Master Richard."

_**-( - )-**_

As always, Alfred's meals were to die for. It was inexplicable how everyone in the Wayne household stayed so trim. The meal was served in the "informal" dining room which was the most elegant dining experience any of the Titans, save Robin, had ever enjoyed. Alfred served filet mignon and chicken cordon bleu. He also prepared eggplant parmesan for Beast Boy. The soup was the best Tomato bisque Raven had ever tasted. He served Cherries Jubilee for dessert.

Once the plates were cleared Alfred offered the Titans some Cognac, which Robin declined since they were all still under 21. As Alfred left the room Robin turned towards Raven and Beast Boy.

"I think that the two of you have something to share with us." Robin asked.

The couple looked at each other before Beast Boy replied. "Ok, we're engaged. Busted!"

Robin simply shook his head. Then he asked "Why do you want to quit the team?"

"If you must know." Raven replied "It's because I'm tired of feeling like an outcast. I'm sick of being called "Goth", "Witch" and other worse and unspeakable things by the media. And being gunned down didn't help. Staring down the barrel of Terra's 9mm Beretta this morning didn't help either. By the way Star, thanks for saving my life, again. So I'm returning to Azarath, and I've asked Gar to marry me and come with me."

"Married?" Robin asked "You guys are so young. Why so soon?"

Raven sighed "I know that I have come across as an emotionless sorceress over the years, but I think that you guys know me better than that now. The truth is that I am probably the most passionate member of the team. And while I do enjoy watching movies and cuddling with Gar from the comfort of our bed, well, I want more than that. A lot more. OK?" Her cheeks were reddened from her sudden confession. Beast Boy also blushed at Raven's public admission of her lustful desire for him.

"Raven" Starfire interjected "Could you and Beast Boy remain with us and still be the lovers?"

"Yeah Raven. We could get you guys a judge to marry you." Cyborg added. "You don't have to leave".

"There's still the matter of being an outcast. You don't know how much it hurts when I hear people call Gar a 'freak' behind his back. It makes my blood boil."

"I understand." Robin replied. "But could you defer your departure? And if you really want us to, we can get a judge for you."

Raven smiled. "Thanks Robin, but that won't be necessary. Under Azarathian law I can perform the ceremony myself. We could do it right now in fact."

"Whoa, whoa! Time out!" Cyborg interrupted. "You gotta give us time to prepare a party. We can't have you get married without a celebration. And what about the rings? Have you got the rings yet?" Cyborg's mind raced as he scrambled for excuses to defer their marriage.

"We don't do wedding bands on Azarath, so it won't be necessary." She replied.

Raven turned to Beast Boy and whispered something in his ear. He thought for a moment and whispered back to Raven before turning to face Robin.

"OK, we'll wait." He announced. "No more than 2 months though, and preferably less."

Robin sighed. Now he needed to talk with Bruce to find out why the Justice League had turned the Titans down. And he had 2 months to save the team. Just another day in the life of Richard Grayson, former Boy Wonder and still a Teen Titan.

_**-( - )-**_

Slade watched the news on the TV in his penthouse. The 11:00 PM news was on and the top story was Terra's arrest at the old Titans Tower. He had to give her credit, she didn't give up easily. And like last time she almost succeeded in eliminating Raven. Starfire was fast, very fast. But it was of no importance. The local police were as inept as they were proud. Terra easily escaped as she was being transferred to the county jail. There was no doubt she was on her way to Gotham. Where else would the Titan's be? But it was one thing to trace them to Gotham and quite another to locate the Bat Cave. Slade had tried that for years, but always failed. Deathstroke the Terminator had been no match for the Dark Knight. But now he was Slade, beloved businessman, savior of Jump City. He made a mental note to hold a press conference to repudiate his former apprentice. This was actually serendipitous for Slade. Will a little manipulation of the media he would be able to focus all the negativity of his past on Terra. She was a perfect scapegoat.

_**-( - )-**_

The next morning the Titans were up early. Nightwing was going to give them a superhero tour of the city after breakfast. Alfred served them French toast, bacon (both real and tofu), eggs, various juices and coffee that made the stuff they drank at the Tower taste like swill by comparison. Even Raven liked Alfred's coffee, and she was a tea person. The Titans were in good spirits and getting ready for their outing when Bruce walked in, newspaper in hand.

"I'm afraid the tour is cancelled." He said as he tossed the front page of the Gotham News on the table. The headline screamed "Terra escapes from Jump City police custody. Believed to be in Gotham."

"You're quite the lady's man Garfield." He told Beast Boy. "It's unfortunate that not all of your fan girls are as nice as Raven. Terra seems most insistent on finding you."

Raven let out a long sigh."This can't be happening. Gar and I are gonna be prisoners here in your home. We can't possibly go out without being recognized." She sighed again. "What's her obsession with Gar?"

Starfire giggled. "I guess friend Beast Boy is 'quite the catch', yes?"

Raven looked momentarily irritated, but realized that Star was only trying to release the tension in the air. Her features softened and she gave her friend a small smile. "Don't say things like that Starfire, it will only go to his head."

Richard decided to change the subject. "So Bruce, what happened with the Justice League? Why did we get turned down for membership?"

Bruce sat down; the look on his face betrayed that he they weren't going to like what he was going to say.

"I want this to be clear: The Justice League has no doubts regarding your abilities and accomplishments. The problem they have with you is maturity. The Titans lack finesse. You cause too much collateral damage. Not everyone felt this way, but Kal El and Diana were adamant that you aren't ready yet, and they carry a lot of weight in the League. I tried my best to persuade the others, but as you know I'm not as popular as Superman or Wonder Woman."

"What a load of crap!" Richard hissed.

"I know. You got yet another raw deal." Bruce replied. "Hang in there, we'll figure something out."

"No, Bruce." Beast Boy interrupted. "I appreciate what you trying to do for us. But my presence here only places Gotham in danger. Terra is a deadly enemy. I know that we can eventually stop her, but people might get hurt before that."

"Yo BB, what are you talking about?" Cyborg asked nervously, already knowing the answer.

"Raven and I have to leave for Azarath. There is no other way. We'll never find Terra, she'll find us, and maybe expose you, Bruce. We can't risk that. Maybe someday Raven and I will return. Who knows?"

Starfire began to sniffle. It had happened. The Titans were going to break up. Rekmas had prevailed.

"We'll make our departure public, that way Terra will know we are gone and out of her reach." Raven added.

"There has to be another way." Richard murmured.

"There isn't one. Gar and I don't want to be on the run from Terra."

"Please forgive the interruption, but Deathstroke is on the news." Alfred said as he turned in the TV. Slade was giving a press conference from Jump City.

"… _and I urge authorities everywhere to exercise extreme caution when dealing with Terra Markov. As most of you know she was once my apprentice. I can say with utmost certainty that she has become mentally unstable in her quest for the Teen Titan known as Beast Boy. She is homicidal and will not relent in her irrational pursuit of the green changeling. I must also warn you that her powers are much greater than in the past. She herself threatened me with violence unless I helped her capture Beast Boy, a request that I of course refused….."_

Raven turned off the TV.

"I guess the only question left is whether we marry here or in Azarath."

_**-( - )-**_

A Greyhound bus pulled into the busy Gotham bus depot, which was a whirlwind of people, busier than any airport. The driver opened the door and the passengers disembarked. A girl with short green hair claimed her bag and disappeared into the crowd.

_**-( - )-**_

Raven and Garfield held their private ceremony in the Wayne Manor library. It was as Raven had described, she asked him and he accepted. They sealed their contract with a kiss, after which Raven added vows of fidelity and permanence, which were not required under Azarathian law, to Beast Boy. She then produced a parchment that had text in both English and Azarathian. It was a marriage certificate. Cyborg and Starfire signed it as witnesses, while Raven and Beast Boy signed the certificate as bride and groom. Raven rolled it up and tucked it into her cape.

Starfire was unhappy with the whole affair. Even though she was a hopeless romantic, she felt that her friends, who were barely 18 years old, had entered into marriage prematurely. And tomorrow they would leave and might possibly never return. Nevertheless she congratulated them both with a tender hug and kiss.

Cyborg was just as displeased, especially with their upcoming departure. His little sis and little bro were leaving. "You'd better treat her right grass stain, or I'll come to Azarath myself and kick your sorry green butt."

Richard stood silently. He did not approve of any of this. As far as he was concerned they were far too young and it was too sudden as well. Without them the Titans were finished. As always he blamed himself making the situation into his own personal failure.

Alfred, who witnessed the brief and simple ceremony, cleared his throat. "I took the liberty of preparing a simple meal to commemorate this happy occasion. If you'll follow me please it is served." He led the group to the formal dining room where a feast worthy of the Royal House of England awaited them. As they took their places Bruce placed a hand on Richard's shoulder.

"I've contacted the Titans East. They will be joining us soon".

Richard understood. Aqualad had returned to Atlantis and Speedy returned to the Green Arrow. Bumblebee and Mas y Menos would join the Titans as Raven's and Beast Boy's replacements.


	7. Chapter 7

The green haired girl woke up from her slumber, stretching as she yawned. She spent the night at the YWCA, in the very heart of downtown Gotham. Her bed was one of many in the large dormitory, which she shared with a motley crew of roommates. Some were budget travelers who had been unable to find a room in a local hostel. Others were runaways. There were a few homeless mothers with their small children as well. The green haired girl had stayed at places like this before. They weren't fancy and that suited her fine. She had slept in caves before, but those were in short supply in Gotham, so the Y would do. And besides, they served a free breakfast.

She hopped out of her cot and stretched again. Her "roomies" were mostly still asleep. She grabbed her backpack and headed to bathroom, where she relieved herself in a worn if sanitized bathroom stall. She then washed her face and brushed her teeth. Since she wore her hair short it took only a moment to remove her bed head. She then put her contact lenses on, blinking into the mirror as her now emerald green eyes blinked back at her. Done with her morning ablutions she slung her small backpack over her shoulder. She had left her larger backpack in a locker at the bus station. She had some items in it that wouldn't pass inspection at the Y, so to the locker they went.

She knew from experience that at breakfast time in the Y that the early bird definitely would get the worm. As she walked into the dining hall she saw that there was already a line forming. Soon the bacon, sausage and eggs would be gone. The stragglers would have to content themselves with oatmeal and cold cereal.

After she had filled her tray she searched for a solitary table. She wasn't interested in socializing this morning. She saw a fresh newspaper on a rack and grabbed it as she headed to a table she saw in a corner. She made herself comfortable and began to eat while she read the funnies. She had quite an appetite and soon had cleared her tray. She was thinking of getting seconds when she finally got to the front page. The front page headline caught her attention and she read the story, her eyes open with alarm. "Frak!" she muttered under her breath as she tossed the paper aside. She looked at her watch and grabbing her backpack hurried out of the dining hall into the street. She ran as fast as she could, while glancing at her watch. It was almost 8 AM.

_**-( - )-**_

Raven and Beastboy woke up at the sound of their alarm clock. Neither had slept well. While it was their first night together as a married couple, they did not consummate their marriage. They had a lot on their minds the night before. They were going to leave their long time friends and had no idea if they would ever see them again, which was distressing and hardly put them into a romantic mood. Beast Boy was also nervous about Azarath. Not only were their customs strange and foreign to him, but from what Raven had told him they were very insular and un-diverse. He knew that he was doing this for her. She would feel at home in Azarath and best of all Terra wouldn't be there.

He rolled over and saw that Raven was awake and had been watching him intently, her amethyst eyes focused on him. Her face looked the way he felt, a mixture of happiness and sorrow. They embraced and kissed tenderly, lingering in each other's arms.

"We'd better get going." She broke the moment. "We have to be there at 8 AM."

Garfield hopped out of bed first. It was 5:30 AM. His internal clock hadn't adjusted yet and it felt more like 2 AM, which it was back in Jump City. Raven got up and wrapped her arms around him.

"Let's get ready."

_**-( - )-**_

It was now 7:50 AM. Batman, Robin and the Titans stood in front of the main police precinct. Commissioner Gordon was with them as well. Batman had issued a press release the night before, announcing that the two Teen Titans known as Raven and Beast Boy were departing for Raven's home world of Azarath and that Raven would be using her magical powers to transport the pair to her home, which existed in another dimension. The press release did the trick. Every TV station had sent a crew, as did the local papers. The event would be carried on national TV.

Beast Boy gazed at the crowd assembling in the plaza in front of the police station. He was surprised that so many had turned out to see them depart. They chose the early hour because they hoped the live audience would be smaller, but that was not the case. The adage was true, Gotham never slept. Nevertheless, the show had to go on. Raven examined the contents of her backpack. It contained the oils she would need to form the portal circle around them, just as she had done over two years ago when she visited the ruins of Azarath. Otherwise, she and Beast Boy were traveling empty handed. They would arrive in Azarath with just the clothes on their backs and nothing else.

The green haired girl arrived just in time to catch the show. Most of the crowd had shown up to get a glance of the now disgraced Teen Titans. They were especially curious about Raven, the dark sorceress. There was no explanation for the departure, just an announcement that it would happen at 8:00 AM. The girl jockeyed to get closer to the Titans. As she settled in the sound of the old Gotham Tower clock's bell could be heard. It rang 8 times, announcing that it was now 8:00 AM. Nightwing stepped up to a microphone.

"Citizens of Gotham, you once knew me as Robin, Batman's former partner. I'm now known as Nightwing, and I'm the leader of the Teen Titans." As Nightwing spoke, Raven began the preparations for creating the portal. "Today, two of our members are leaving our team, heading to Azarath, where they will live. Yesterday our friends Raven and Beast Boy were married and are now preparing to go and live a new life on Raven's home world. They will be sorely missed, and we wish them all the best."

Nightwing stepped away from the mike and walked over to his two friends. He hugged and spoke briefly with them, followed by Starfire and Cyborg.

The green haired girl had a snarl on her face. She watched as the couple stepped into the circle while Raven chanted some gibberish. She saw a portal appear above the couple and it began to suck them in. The girl's snarl turned into a roar as she raised her arms. The steps to the police station peeled away like a banana peel and hurled themselves towards Raven, but they were too late, as the couple had already vanished into the vortex above them. The 3 remaining Titans realized that Terra was nearby, but couldn't see her in the crowd, which eventually registered what had happened and the throng had panicked and was stampeding in a panic. Terra's disguise had worked, as she was literally standing in front of the Titans and they did not recognize her.

Terra walked away slowly, once again unnoticed. She had failed again and this time there would be no more chances, as they were out of her reach. For now she would stay in Gotham. Slade had an old abandoned lair in Gotham from his Deathstroke days. She knew where it was and had already decided to make use of it. She cared not about Slade's earlier warnings regarding Gotham and its guardian Batman. The only question in her mind was how she would get even with remaining Titans, who no doubt figured that this little stunt Raven had pulled would defuse her wrath. She wouldn't let them off the hook. They would pay. But for now she would simply disappear.

_**-( - )-**_

Raven and Beast Boy where flying through the void. Unlike last time there were no fireballs chasing Raven and the flight was rather serene. After a few minutes they reached the kaleidoscope like gate into Azarath's realm. This time the gate recognized Raven and let them in. The floating city of Azarath stood before them, like a jewel floating on a serene sea. Raven conjured one of her black disks so that she and Beast Boy could glide into Azarath standing together.

This time the city was not empty. It was bustling with people. As Raven flew them to the high tower where her mother Arella lived people waved and called out her name. Arella was one of the wealthiest women on Azarath. She married into of the richest families in the floating city. She was standing on the tower's highest parapet, waiting for Raven, who clearly was being expected. Four men stood behind her, their postures clearly indicated deference to the violet haired Matriarch. They were her four husbands. Raven was Arella's only daughter and thus was her only heiress. Raven knew that there would be many suitors for her, as other wealthy clans would be eager to arrange marriages of convenience, which was too bad as Raven had no interest in playing that game. As they landed Arella stepped forward and greeted her daughter.

"Welcome home. We have been eagerly awaiting your return." She glanced at Beast Boy. "And who is this? Did you bring a servant back with you?"

"Hello mother." She replied, after taking Beast Boy's hand. "This is my husband, Garfield. We have returned to live in Azarath."

Arella gave Beastboy a quick look over. Judging from her body language she did not approve of her daughter's choice, but said nothing.

"You have a certificate, I presume?"

Raven handed her the parchment, which Arella examined carefully before handing it back to her daughter.

"Come daughter, and bring your first with you. I will show you where you will live." She turned to her four husbands. "You are dismissed for the day. You may leave."

Beast Boy flinched. His mother in law spoke of him in the third person, as if he wasn't present, and called him Raven's 'first'. She spoke to her husbands as if they were mere servants. This was off to a bad start in his opinion, but he chose to say nothing. Raven sensed his apprehension and gave his hand a reassuring tight squeeze. Arella led them into an elevator which they rode downward. After it passing several levels it stopped and the doors opened. Arella led them to an apartment.

"We have been expecting you Raven. The monks had foretold of your return." She then turned to Garfield. "But there was no mention of you bringing a 'first' with you."

"His name is Garfield, mother, and he isn't my 'first', he is my one and only husband."

"How quaint, you have adopted the traditions of Earth, have you? Did you get married in a Church too?" Arella sneered.

Raven was getting upset. Why was her mother antagonizing her? Was this some sort of retribution for running away to Earth?

"Mother, why are you doing this? I had hoped that you of all people would understand."

"You're an Azarathian, living on Azarath. You'd better start behaving like one. And get the following into your head. This boy is your 'first'. He is not your soul mate, not your lover and definitely not your best friend. And worst of all, he is poor. You have wasted one of your four marriages on a pauper!"

As Raven glared at her mother the door to the apartment opened and a middle aged woman emerged. She was from the servant class on Azarath, as she was neither a woman of exceeding beauty, wealth or intellect. Raven recognized her immediately.

"Gayla? Is it really you?" Raven gasped in surprise.

_**-( - )-**_

Batman and Nightwing surveyed the aftermath of Terra's attack. Her presence was unexpected as she would not have been able to travel on any commercial airliners. Nightwing came to the conclusion that she had her own transport. Even more disturbing to him was that no one recognized her. They couldn't search for her because they had no idea what she looked like, other than she was short, thin and Caucasian. Which meant that she would easily blend into the Gotham like a chameleon in a bush. Commissioner Gordon walked out of the precinct with a disk in his hand and approached them. He handed the disk to Batman.

"I copied every surveillance camera's tape from the plaza onto the disk. Maybe you'll be able to recognize her."

Batman thanked the Commissioner and walked back to the Batmobile, joined by Robin and Cyborg. The car peeled away as Starfire lifted Nightwing under her and took flight, following the Dark Knight.


	8. Chapter 8

It didn't take long for one of Batman's computers to locate Terra's face in the security camera recordings. Nightwing was aghast when he saw that she had been standing right in front of them. The short green hair was clever, as it revealed more of her face while making her appearance different. There were plenty of green haired youths in the crowd, so she didn't stand out. She also disguised her eyes; changing them to green eyes, courtesy of some contact lenses. Now the only question was 'where did she go?'

Batman sat at the main computer console, tapping his fingers on the console. He pulled up his old Deathstroke files, hoping to find a clue. His final notes did indicate that Slade had a hideout in the Harbor District, but he had never been able to find it. He retrieved the records from the recent "Big Dig" project that dug several new tunnels under the harbor, connecting Gotham with the new airport built on Davenport Island. No one had accidentally found Slade's lair during the dig, but there was always the possibility that a clue had been uncovered only to be unrecognized as such and later buried in some project status report. Batman, Robin and the Titans spent hours poring over tens of thousands of boring project status reports. Nightwing had reached the point where he couldn't look at another report when Starfire tapped him on the shoulder while handing him a printout. He looked at it and didn't see anything out of the ordinary at first, but a second glance revealed the clue.

"Star, you're a genius!" he stood and swept her off her feet. After he was done kissing her he handed the report to Batman, who after reading it nodded approvingly.

"Well done, Starfire. You definitely have a sharp eye. If you weren't engaged to Dick I'd offer you the position of BatGirl on my team."

Starfire blushed upon hearing all the praise aimed in her direction. Richard had told her that the Dark Knight seldom praised anyone, so she realized that he held her in very high regard.

"Ok Team, let's have some dinner and rest afterwards. We'll make our move on Terra once the Titans East arrive later tonight."

As everyone got up to leave, Batman motioned Nightwing to remain with him. Starfire noticed this and Bruce informed her they would be joining the team in a moment. Once they had cleared out Batman led Nightwing to a small desk in a dark corner of the Bat Cave. He opened a drawer a removed a small box from it.

"I saw the final press conference, where you confirmed that you and Starfire are engaged. It was pretty evident from the look on her face that even she was not expecting you to say that."

Nightwing blushed. "Yeah, it was a spur of the moment thing."

"Well, needless to say, you made a young Tamaranian Princess very happy that afternoon, but I'm afraid that you have some unfinished business." Nightwing looked puzzled at the remark, and Batman continued. "She's still wearing that promise ring you gave her. Anyway, here, take this."

Batman handed his former sidekick a small box, which he opened. It contained a solitaire ring with the most dazzling emerald Dick had ever seen.

"Bruce, where did you get this? It's beautiful! Star will be ecstatic!"

"It was my mother's engagement ring. I want you to give it to Starfire"

Richard was stunned. "Bruce! I can't accept this. It's a Wayne family heirloom. You have to keep it!"

Bruce sighed. Nightwing was right. It was a priceless family heirloom. And it belonged on Starfire's hand.

"Listen Dick, I'm never going to get married, it's just not in me. The closest I ever came was with Selina, but that's past history. And anyway, who says it's leaving the family?"

Nightwing nodded gratefully. Bruce had basically just told him that Starfire was now a member of the Wayne family.

Batman recognized Richard's gratitude. "Let's get some dinner before Cyborg eats everything." he joked.

"Don't laugh Bruce; he's done that more than once." Nightwing snickered back.

_**-( - )-**_

"Yes Raven, it's Gayla" Arella retorted. "Your old nursemaid who cared for you; that is until we sent you off with Azar and the monks to deal with your 'problem'. Gayla will attend to your needs. I need to leave now. And don't forget that I'm holding a banquet in your honor tonight. Your fir….Garfield is invited as well."

Arella walked into the elevator and left, leaving the three in the hallway. Gayla hugged Raven and led her into the apartment. It was very spacious and sumptuous. She showed them the entertainment areas first. Raven knew that her mother was going to bring her into the family business and would be expecting her to host business meetings and to entertain clients. She then showed Raven the master bedroom, which was huge and elegantly appointed. Then they passed a smaller bedroom.

"This room is for your 'first'" Gayla informed them as they looked into it. It was also elegant, but much smaller.

Raven sighed. She knew it was going to be an long, uphill battle, but she never expected it to be so exhausting.

"Gayla, I have a personal favor to ask. Do not ever call my husband my 'first'. His name is Garfield. You can refer to him as either 'Garfield' or as my 'husband'. But never refer to him as my 'first'. Also, I will never have a 'second', regardless of what my mother might say, so don't bother showing us the 'second's' bedroom."

Gayla didn't like what she was hearing. Raven was telling her to address her first by his given name. That was unheard of. And what was this nonsense of not having a second, never mind a third or fourth? Raven had to understand that she had a role to play in the firm, and one of those was to expand it via marriage. There were several clans at this very moment that lacked a female heiress. They would be forced to marry off their sons into another clan, and at this moment Raven was Azarath's most eligible and desirable bachelorette. Still, it was not her place to say anything.

"Yes, mistress, I understand, but what shall I do in public?" Gayla knew that not even Raven could command her to address her first as 'Garfield' in public.

"Just call me Garfield." Beast Boy replied. "And if you are afraid to do that then I prefer that you not address me at all. I am not a 'first'!"

Then to Gayla's shock Raven embraced Beast Boy and gave him a very passionate kiss.

"Raven!" Gayla protested. "What do you think you are doing!? I did not raise you to behave this way!."

After what felt like an eternity to Gayla they separated.

"By the way, Gayla." Beast Boy continued. "Raven's bedroom is also my bedroom. We will sleep there together every night."

Gayla stared at the young couple in total and abject shock and even a little horror. After a couple of minutes she appeared to recover before making what in her mind was a vile accusation.

"R-r-r-aven, if I didn't know any better, I'd say that you've become a 'mono'".

"A what?" they both replied.

Gayla proceeded to tell them about how many of Azarath's younger women were publicly renouncing their right to have more than one husband. Many were also proud to publicly admit that they considered their one and only husband to be their equals, and were beginning to demand equal rights for their husbands. But most shocking of all was the fact that they engaged in sexual intercourse with their 'firsts' for non reproductive purposes. Some said that it was for pleasure while others said that it was a way of expressing their love for each other. The only thing that Gayla knew was that 'monoism' was disgusting and animalistic, a philosophy unworthy of superior beings like Azarathians. Also, she was quick to point out; most monos were from the middle class or below. There were no upper class monos, at least not yet. And she would be damned if Raven would be the first one.

A long silence ensued after Gayla finished her diatribe. Finally Garfield smiled at Raven before speaking to Gayla.

"Gayla, why don't you be a dear and go run some errands. You see, Raven and I were only married yesterday, and to be blunt, we have some unfinished business to take care of in our bedroom. "

"What do you mean?" Gayla asked indignantly.

"It's none of your business." Raven replied in her monotone.

Indignantly Gayla replied "Lucky for you I do have some errands to run. I'm supposed to pick up new Azarathian clothes for both of you."

"Take your time." Beast Boy replied as he led his still virgin wife to their bedroom. "No need to rush home."

"What he said" Raven added.

Gayla stormed out of the apartment, cursing like a sailor. "What is wrong with young people these days?" she muttered to herself. "Like animals they are! They have no sense of morality, none whatsoever."

_**-( - )-**_

Terra stepped out of the shower at the Y. Her hair was now a mousy brown in color. She had already restyled her hair and was pleased with the result. She looked very different. After she toweled off she dressed in a fresh outfit, she had already tossed the old one into an incinerator. She put on a light jacket with a large hood to conceal her face. She knew that Batman's computers would be connected to every public security camera in town, so she needed to keep her face concealed. Her disguise would fool most people, but not a computer.

She reviewed her appearance in the mirror. Unlike Raven and Starfire, her figure had not filled out yet and she was a still a short stick figure. While she envied Raven's curves and Starfire's tall statuesque body she knew that sometimes being a plain Jane could work in her favor. No one would give her Olive Oyl figure a second glance. Even her new hair style and color was unflattering. She was set.

Night had fallen on Gotham as she made her way back to the bus station. It was full of people. As she made her way to the locker where she left her belongings she saw several police officers in the depot area, far more than yesterday. She sighed, realizing that she had been spotted on a security camera yesterday when stowing her gear in the locker. Fortunately no one had recognized her yet. She knew that if there were this many uniformed officers that there were even more plain clothed officers lurking in the shadows. She walked to a newsstand and purchased the evening edition and a candy bar, then walked out of the depot as casually as possible, while munching on the Toblerone she just purchased. Hopefully there would be some supplies in Slade's abandoned lair. She hopped onto a city bus that was labeled "Harbor District" and settled in for the ride.

_**-( - )-**_

Bumblebee and Mas Y Menos arrived in Gotham under their own propulsion. Steele City was even less generous than Jump had been, the city council voting to keep everything in the Tower for an upcoming auction. That included the Titans East T-Ship. Fortunately Steele was just 200 miles down the coast from Gotham, so Bumblebee flew the distance on her own wings while Mas Y Menos simply ran. The rendezvous point was at the Gotham Botanical Gardens parking lot at 10 PM. The Eastern Titans arrived early and remained hidden until the Batmobile pulled up, with Nightwing at the wheel. They exchanged greetings and the 3 Titans boarded the car. Nightwing could tell that Bumblebee was upset with everything that happened. After several minutes he decided to break the ice.

"So, did they treat you like dirt too?" he asked.

"Oh you wouldn't believe it Robin …. Wait a minute, who are you supposed to be now?"

"Nightwing." He replied curtly.

"Sorry Dick, anyway, they treated us like if we were common thieves. At least the Mayor came to bid you guys farewell. We had inspectors coming in check on us, like if we were stealing the towels. Oh, and thanks for paying for shipping our personal belongings, they wouldn't even pay for that. Everyone was convinced that we had secret bank accounts full of embezzled money."

"It could have been worse. At least they didn't welcome Brother Blood back just because he's opening a factory."

"I think they would have had he done that." She replied.

By this point they were already in the Bat Cave. After emerging from the Batmobile they were greeted by the Dark Knight himself. They had never met him before and found him to be even scarier than Raven, even though they all knew well that he had no super powers. They were greeted by the others as well.

"Mira Mas, el es el nuevo Robin" Menos remarked.

"Si, es muy pequeño. Como nosotros!" Mas laughed back at his diminutive twin brother.

Batman led his newly expanded team to a conference room to brief them on the mission. The clue that Starfire had found was a construction report from a tunneling team. While burrowing under the Gotham River they found what appeared to be a ventilation shaft that led to the riverbank above. Since it was off from the main tunnel section they left it alone. Batman was convinced that the shaft would lead to Slade's never located lair. The shaft was quite large and they would be able to enter the lair through it. Batman had scanned the area from the sky and had found shaft's entrance, cleverly hidden in a fish cannery.

"I want you to all be sharp for the mission. We'll raid Slade's lair at 3 AM, and I hope to catch Terra off guard. So get some rest and be ready."

As the team broke up Nightwing took Starfire's hand as they walked back to her room. Dick didn't feel comfortable sharing a room with her in Wayne Manor, even though their nights together back at the Tower had always been chaste.

"Star, may I come into your room?"

Puzzled with his request she replied "Richard, you know that my room is yours as well. You do not need my permission to enter."

Richard entered her room and closed the door.

"Star, you remember that press conference back at the Tower, where I told the press that we were engaged?"

"Y-yes I do." She replied, her voice betraying her apprehension "Is there something you want to tell me?"

Nightwing realized that Starfire thought he was going to call off the engagement. He had to do this right, and there was only one way to do it.

"Yes" he said as he dropped to his knee "You deserve this to be done the right way."

He produced the ring from his pocket. Starfire's eye's became huge at the sight of the heirloom ring.

"Starfire, Princess Koriand'r, will you…."

"YES!" she screamed. "Yes, yes, yes!"

Richard smiled, he didn't blow it this time. He removed the promise ring from her finger and replaced it with the Wayne engagement ring. He rose to his feet and they embraced.

"Well, we'd better get our rest." He said, as he turned to leave the room, heading back to his own. He felt a titanium strong grip on his wrist.

"Where do you think you're going?" she asked with a coy smile on her face.


	9. Chapter 9

Terra pulled on the cord in the bus, signaling that she wanted to get off. The bus was in the middle of the cannery row section of the Harbor District, which looked abandoned and dilapidated. It was late and the area was dark and deserted. Terra was the only passenger on the bus at this point, and the driver glanced at her via a large mirror he kept at the front of the bus.

"Miss, are you sure you want to get off here? There won't be another bus until morning. This isn't exactly a safe place for a young woman to be alone."

"I'll be fine."

The driver pulled up to the next bus stop and opened the doors. Terra hopped off and disappeared into the shadows.

"It's your funeral." He muttered as the bus pulled away.

Terra waited for the bus to leave. Once it was gone she walked to a vacant lot and summoned a small boulder out of the ground and hopped on it. She flew deeper into the cannery row area until she was near the river bank. There, just as Slade told her months ago, was the derelict hulk of what used to be the 'Happy Dolphin' tuna canning plant. She hopped off the boulder and walked in through the shipping dock where trucks used to pickup cases of canned tuna for local delivery. Happy Dolphin went out of business years ago when the USDA found bits of dolphin meat in the cans and shut them down. Slade purchased the canning plant for a song during the bankruptcy sale. He had used a sham business as a cover. As far as everyone else knew, the plant belonged to a Japanese businessman named Hiroshi Sato. Slade was good at covering his tracks.

Terra passed through the shipping and receiving area and entered what had once been the canning room. It had been stripped bare of anything of value since the bankruptcy. There was a large enclosure that had once been a large walk in refrigerator. Terra entered and began searching the wall until she found what she was looking for. She pressed on the loose panel and another one flipped over, revealing a retinal scanner. Terra placed her right eye in front of it and after a few seconds it beeped and retracted itself, and was once again hidden.

Terra heard a soft rumbling behind her as a section of the room's floor rose, revealing an elevator that emerged from the floor. She stepped onboard and pressed the down arrow button. The elevator descended silently and slowly until after a few minutes it had reached its destination. The doors opened revealing what could only be one of Slade's lairs. It was full of gears and machinery, which were currently idle. There were several dozen late model SladeBots standing in the corner, brand new and never used, deactivated, waiting to be turned on for their first command. Placing the lair under the riverbed was a smart move by Slade. The location was isolated enough to hide it, even from Batman.

Terra headed into the lair's living quarters. They were tidy and clean. Even in his absence Slade was a neat freak. He hated clutter with a passion. The kitchen was well stocked with frozen food and other nonperishable items. She pulled out a single serving of lasagna from the freezer and heated it up. She scarfed it down quickly and washed it down with some soda pop that Slade kept in the fridge specifically for her. There were several tubs of ice cream in the large freezer. She scooped several helpings from the Neapolitan tub and slowly savored her dessert. After she was done she smacked her lips and tossed the dirty dishes into the sink, then staggered off to the sleeping quarters. The day had finally caught up with her and she was tired. She kicked off her shoes, stripped down to her underwear and got into a bed. She was asleep within minutes.

_**-( - )-**_

There was a loud knock on the bedroom door. Raven opened her eyes and the alarm clock indicated that over 4 hours had passed since Gayla left. There was another series of loud knocks. Gayla had returned.

"Just a minute!" Raven shouted. "I'm not dressed".

Raven sighed as she removed Beast Boy's palm from her bare chest. She rolled over to face her 'stud muffin'. She kissed him on the nose and he stirred, but did not wake up. She told him that 3 times were too many, but she didn't mind the encores at the time herself. The knocking resumed.

"Mistress! You must get ready for the banquet! I have your new clothes ready!"

"I'm coming!" she said as she roused Beast Boy. "Gar! Wake up! We have to get ready."

Beastboy opened his eyes and yawned as Raven got up and put on the robe she had found earlier in the closet. She walked to the door and opened it. Gayla was there, carrying several shopping bags which Raven took from her. Gayla peered around Raven and saw that Beast Boy was sitting up in the bed, his green, muscular torso naked as he stretched. Raven could see the disapproving look on her face.

"We'll be ready on time, don't worry. But don't come into help me." Raven instructed her.

"I wouldn't dare." Gayla retorted.

Raven and Beast Boy showered and dressed quickly. Beast Boy thought the clothes were comfortable but couldn't help but feel that they made him look like a monk, and told Raven. Raven assured him that it was standard fashion for males on Azarath, much like a suit and tie were on Earth. Raven's outfit resembled her old Titans winter outfits, with pants and a fur trimmed cape and hood. As they finished up Raven instructed Beastboy on some protocol for the banquet. Since he was officially her 'first' he would be seated with her at the main table. Second husbands and below would be seated at a separate table, near the rear of the banquet hall. Also when they entered the hall she would hold her right hand horizontally at her side, pointing forward with her palm facing downward. He would place his left hand on top of hers and she would lead him to his seat.

They emerged from the bedroom with time to spare and Gayla was waiting for them impatiently. She looked extremely cross and it was confirmed when she spoke to Raven.

"Mistress, whatever you do, do not tell your guests that you are a 'mono'. And you, 'Garfield', if you love her as much as you claim, you will not make a scene or embarrass us at the banquet. You will behave!"

"Give me some credit." He replied with a hint of irritation in his voice.

Gayla sized up the couple. They were unusual to begin with. Raven was gray, courtesy of her father no doubt, and the boy, the boy was green! Still, she had to admit, he was handsome, if perhaps too muscular. His new clothes would hide that, fortunately. She walked up to him and raised his hood.

"Let's go." She announced curtly.

Raven extended her hand and Beast Boy grabbed it with his. Gayla clearly disapproved the gesture, but held her tongue and led them to the banquet hall.

"They do have vegetarian food here, don't they?" Gar asked as they entered the elevator.

_**-( - )-**_

Starfire and Richard had been kissing and petting for quite some time now. They eventually stopped, once they realized how late it was. She lifted her hand to her face, admiring the ring that was worthy of royalty.

"Richard, where did you get this ring? The gem is gorgeous. You can't buy a ring like this in a store. Trust me, I know."

Richard hesitated before replying. "It's a family heirloom."

Starfire wasn't as naïve as many thought. She knew very well that Richard's parents had been modest circus acrobats before they died in the sabotaged trapeze accident. The ring was worth more than their entire lifetime incomes would have been had they not died.

"Did Bruce give this to you?"

He nodded in the affirmative. "You're a member of the Wayne family now Star."

She eyed the heirloom on her finger. The emerald was huge and flawless, more perfect than anything she had ever seen on Tamaran, and she had seen plenty.

"Whose ring was it?"

"Originally? I don't know. Bruce's mother was the last one to possess it. I believe it's been in the family for many generations."

"Then I am much honored to be deemed worthy of wearing it. I must thank Bruce for his kindness."

"He has a way of surprising people when they least expect it. I'll bet he has Alfred already making the wedding plans!" he chuckled.

"Richard." She asked with concern in her voice. "What kind of wedding do you want to have?"

He hesitated again. "I really never gave it much thought; I just assumed that Alfred would take care of it. No one has better taste than he does."

"You didn't answer my question Richard. Do you want a religious ceremony, or a civil ceremony?"

"I'm not very religious Star. I'm not an atheist, but I haven't set foot in a church in years. It would be kind of phony of me to insist on a Church wedding. Is this important for you?"

"No, it is not. Tamaranian weddings are civil affairs. Remember how Blackfire was the minister at my thankfully cancelled wedding to you know who?"

"You mean gurgle-something? Don't remind me. That was the worst day of my life."

She giggled. "Mine too."

The grandfather clock in her room chimed twelve times.

"Look, it's already midnight; we'd better get some sleep". She said as she patted her bed.

Richard yawned as he pulled off his shirt. "Sounds good to me."

_**-( - )-**_

If Beast Boy had any doubts regarding how wealthy and influential his mother in law was, they were removed as they approached the entrance to the Ball room. The entrance itself was huge and the Ball room was cavernous, you could play a soccer match in there and have room to spare. The room was packed. Arella had gone all out to celebrate Raven's return, and it showed.

"She invited half of Azarath." Raven whispered to her mate. "I don't believe it."

As they reached the entrance Raven extended her hand and Gar placed his on top of hers. His outfit was navy blue, which indicated to all present that he was Raven's 'first'. The crowd fell silent as they entered the hall. There was a single large table on a dais in the middle of the room. Raven saw that her mother was already seated and there were two empty chairs next to her. She could feel the ocean of emotions seeping from the crowd, and not all were positive. She quickly led Garfield to his seat. He waited for her to be seated next to her mother before seating himself.

"You can lower your hood now." she whispered to him as she lowered her own.

Several wait staff, all men, began to attend them. There were so many that Beastboy wondered if they would cut his food and feed him. The head waiter approached Raven and asked what they would like made for them. Being seated at the head table had its privileges. Raven ordered for both of them and as quickly as they had arrived the waiters disappeared.

Raven took a good look around the table to see who the guests of honor were. As expected they were all members of Azarath's inner circle of top Matriarchs. And each one had brought a son with her.

_Setup city_ Raven thought to herself. _It's my first day home and they are already parading the merchandise before me_.

Beastboy noticed this as well and Raven felt his discomfort. Once again she took his hand to reassure him, but she knew that there would be a clash before the night was over. She made eye contact with the various Matriarchs but remained silent. Finally, a portly woman across the table broke the ice.

"Raven dear, it's wonderful that you have returned to us, you have no idea how much you have been missed. We are all delighted to see that you have already taken a 'first' at your young age."

Another woman interrupted. "What Mayra is tiptoeing around is when will you begin courting for your next 3 husbands? Allow me to say that I have no heiress and no daughters in law yet either. You would be my primary daughter in law. And the dowry would be most generous with a monthly allowance to keep you in the luxury you deserve, until you take over the family business when I retire."

By this point the other women had all joined in making their pitches to Raven, who looked overwhelmed. This time it was Beast Boy's turn to squeeze Raven's hand.

"Ladies, please, there will be time for this later. Raven will court all of your sons before picking the final 3, won't you dear?" Arella commanded the table, which fell silent. All eyes were on Raven.

"No Mother, I won't. I already have a husband. I don't want a second, or a third or a fourth!"

The portly matriarch laughed. "Oh Raven, please don't tell us that you are a 'mono', are you?"

Arella glared at Raven. There was much at stake here and Raven knew it. The entire Ball room was focused on the conversation at the head table.

Mayra continued laughing "Do you actually love your 'first'? I heard that his nickname is 'Beast Boy'. Do you have wild intercourse with him like an animal?" the woman snickered.

Raven had heard enough. She stood up her eyes glowing red and split into two demonic pairs.

"Yes, I do love my husband and his name is Garfield, and I will not tolerate anyone calling him my 'first'." she seethed. Even though she didn't shout, her voice echoed around the room.

The Ball room fell silent, and then, from the fringe areas, where the less important guests sat cheering and applause broke out and began to spread around the room, growing louder and louder. Arella and the matriarchs looked stunned. Soon the cheering was so loud that Arella could not make herself heard.

Raven took Gar's hand and he stood, whereupon she embraced him and kissed him passionately. The cheering continued as the couple released each other and hand in hand left the ball room together, amid the crowd's unceasing cheers.

As they emerged from the Ball room they ran and found a place to hide. There they hugged and kissed again. As they surfaced for oxygen Gar looked at his beloved in the eyes and said what she already knew.

"We're in trouble, aren't we?" He asked.


	10. Chapter 10

Batman had his extended team assembled outside of the gutted Happy Dolphin cannery. According to Oracle's calculations the ventilation shaft should be located somewhere in the receiving area, where the tuna boats would have once dropped off their catch at the cannery. The team split up to search for the shaft, but after several minutes they couldn't find it. Cyborg cranked up the sensitivity on his built in sensors, poking at the controls on his arm. Once he did this he ran another sweep of the room. He walked over the entire room, his face deep in concentration, until he stopped in his tracks in front of a huge pile of rusty scrap metal, which for some reason had not been salvaged.

"It's under this pile of junk. Star! Give me a hand here."

The alien and the bionic man began to quickly remove the numerous bits of scrap from the pile. Many were quite large and weighed several hundred pounds or more. The svelte princess removed them and tossed them aside as if they were made of Styrofoam. Cyborg was unable to keep up with her.

"She's a strong girl." Batman remarked to Nightwing. "She could pass for a Kryptonian."

"She's not that strong." Nightwing commented. "Did you ever see her on 'Superhero Challenge'? They pitted her against SuperGirl. She only won 3 of the 12 challenges, and they were the ones that involved finesse over strength. When it was only raw strength that was needed Kara whipped Star's butt."

"I see." Batman replied. "But I'll bet she could snap you in half."

"That she could" the former Boy Wonder conceded.

Starfire and Cyborg cleared away the last pieces of debris, revealing the sought after ventilation shaft. It was quite large and even Cyborg would fit in the opening.

Batman addressed the team. "The shaft is probably equipped with a security system. If we're going to take Terra by surprise we need to get through without tripping any alarms. We'll start with the smallest team members first. Mas Y Menos, you go first and search for sensors or trip wires. If you see any sensors then use this sonic wrench to neutralize them, understand?"

"Si señor Batman!" They replied together as the climbed in. First Mas climbed in, and was followed by Menos. They slowly and carefully descended the shaft.

"Encontramos uno!" they announced when they found the first sensor. The team heard the hum of the sonic wrench followed by a clunking sound that echoed throughout the shaft. A few seconds later a faint alarm could be heard coming up the shaft.

"Se me cayo la llave!" Menos apologized for dropping the sonic wrench.

"There goes our surprise attack! Everybody jump in the shaft get down there as fast as possible!" Batman ordered.

_**-( - )-**_

"Yeah, we're in trouble!" Raven confirmed.

"So now what?" Beastboy replied. "We can't go back to the apartment, can we?"

"No point in going back, but where can we hide? Azarath is small. They'll eventually find us."

"What happens when they do find us?" Beast Boy asked apprehensively.

"I'm not really sure. We'll get chewed out? It's not like they can incarcerate us. There is no jail on Azarath." She replied.

"Raven, you heard all those people cheer us. We rocked the boat a bit too much tonight. All those fat ladies at the table aren't gonna be happy about that."

"What are you trying to say Gar?"

"They're rich and powerful Raven, and we're a threat to them."

Raven gave Beast Boy an irritated look. "You're not saying that they'll try to hurt us? This is Azarath, Gar. That would never happen here. Not in a thousand years."

With no warning the wall next to them exploded, knocking them to the floor.

"Ok, so maybe they would!" Raven conceded. She hugged Gar and flung her cape around him, phasing into the ground just a split second before a barrage of explosions demolished the entire alley they had been hiding in. They emerged a few blocks away.

"Miss Raven, it's you! You're in danger! Please come with me!" A middle aged woman with eye glasses begged her.

"You're Ria Zoval, the Dean at the University!" Raven recognized the woman from her childhood days.

"Yes, yes, I am. But we must hurry. The University is autonomous territory. They won't come in after you if you seek asylum with us."

The University was the second tallest tower in Azarath and Raven could see it in the distance. She conjured a black disk and the three hopped on it. Raven sped them to the University tower as fast as she could. She also raised a black shield around them to deflect the many energy blasts that were aimed at them. Ria had a bout of vertigo and Beast Boy helped her down to her knees. The Dean gestured to the top of the 55 storey tower, which is where her office was located. As soon as Raven got them into the vicinity of the tower the salvos ceased. There was a small garden on the tower roof and Raven brought them down there.

"Why did they stop shooting and chasing us?"

Ria motioned them to follow her into the building.

"Many years ago the matriarchs financed the University's operations. My predecessor negotiated a treaty with the Mayor and the Council of Matriarchs for total autonomy and sovereignty for the University if we became self supporting. The Matriarchs agreed, expecting the school to fold, hoping then to acquire our prime real estate. It never happened as the people of Azarath provided their financial support. Anyway, you'll be safe with us."

"So you're really offering us asylum?" Raven asked.

"Yes. You can stay here as long as necessary." The Dean replied. She paused and took a careful look at the couple. They looked tired and were probably hungry as they had fled the Ball room before dinner was served. "What you both did was very brave. You are an inspiration to all of us."

"Thanks." Beast Boy replied, while rubbing the back of his neck.

"Oh please forgive me. We haven't been introduced. I'm Ria Zoval, I'm the Dean of the University." She extended her hand to Beast Boy, and he took it, returning a firm handshake.

"I'm Garfield Logan." He replied.

"I'm honored to meet you, Garfield. You must be a special man to have won Raven's heart." Beast Boy blushed at her remark.

"He is, Dean Zoval, he truly is."

Ria hit an intercom button, and ordered some dinner be brought to the office for the three of them. Raven asked her if they could bring something vegetarian for Gar, which the kitchen confirmed they could do. She then showed them to their temporary quarters. It was a nicely appointed room.

"You should have some privacy here. My apartment is at the opposite end of the floor. If you ever need me for anything off hours, I should be there with my husband and daughter."

"Do you mean with your 'first'?" Beast Boy teased her.

Ria smiled. "We're all 'monos' here in the University. My husband, Zeroff, is a Professor of Mathematics. I can't begin to tell you how sorry we are that you had to experience the backwardness of the Matriarchs. But as you probably noticed in the Ball room, they are but a minority."

"A rather violent minority." Beast Boy complained.

"We are troubled by this. It is something new. Ever since the Matriarch's had a puppet elected as Mayor, things have changed for the worse."

"The Mayor! No, it can't be." Raven moaned. She proceeded to explain to Beast Boy how the Mayor is elected by the people as check and balance to the Circle of Matriarchs. Without the Mayor to oppose them the Matriarchs could assume dictatorial powers.

A dining hall worker showed up with their dinner, set the table and promptly left after being thanked by the Dean. The trio sat down to their meal, and the Dean continued speaking.

"Raven, we are so happy that you have returned. The situation with the Matriarchs is becoming unbearable. We're afraid that they will violate the treaty and seize the University."

"But what can Raven do about it?" Beast Boy asked between mouthfuls of some spicy pasta dish.

"We were hoping that the two of you would overthrow the Matriarchs" Ria replied.

_**-( - )-**_

Arella was still seated at the table. Her face was expressionless but her eyes revealed the fury that boiled within her. Raven humiliated the Matriarchs in front of half the city. Mayra had already ordered the guard to seize Raven and to kill the boy if he resisted. Arella already knew that the guard would not succeed. Raven was far more powerful than anything her colleagues could imagine. And she knew about Beast Boy's powers as well. He wasn't as formidable as Raven, but he was also a force to be reckoned with his morphing powers. Arella knew all about the Teen Titans. She conspired with the masked man to break the team up. She still didn't believe how no one questioned where Wilson obtained all the money to build the factory. She had financed everything, the gangs, the factories and it had worked wonderfully, until it nearly backfired when Raven had almost been killed. Wilson apologized to her, and promised that he would keep his associate under control.

What she hadn't expected was for her daughter to marry the changeling. She knew well the ways of Earth. She was born there before escaping to Azarath. She still couldn't believe that after 14 years in Azarath, several of them under the tutelage of the late Azar herself, that her daughter would let herself become a lusty, sentimental fool. Still, she could see the devotion the boy had for Raven.

The chief of the guard ran up to the table. The woman was tall and athletic; she could have passed for a Tamaranian.

"Mistress, they eluded us and have taken refuge at the University."

"Contact the Dean. Tell her I wish to speak with my daughter. I will come alone."


	11. Chapter 11

The strike team tumbled down the ventilation shaft, hoping to catch Terra off guard. As they reached the end of the shaft they emerged into the HVAC room. Once they were all out they regrouped and waited for resistance, but none came. The alarm was still blaring as they entered the main hall in the lair, ready for combat. They saw dozens of SladeBots, but realized that they were deactivated. Batman ordered the team to spread out in pairs to search for Terra. Starfire noticed the dirty dishes in the sink, so they knew that someone had been there recently. Further inspection found a slept in bed, which was already cold. The shower stall in the bathroom was moist. Someone had been there very recently and they just missed her. But the question remained, where was she and why did she leave? The question was soon answered as Cyborg made another discovery: a message console that had been used recently. Batman examined it and saw that it had a recent message still in its memory. Apparently someone had forgotten to clear the buffer, which contained both the incoming and outgoing parts of the exchange. He pressed the replay button and Slade's image appeared on a screen, while Terra's sleepy mug appeared on another.

"_Wake up Terra; I have some very good news for you."_

"_This had better be good Slade. I hate being woken up in the middle of the night."_

"_Oh, it's very good, trust me. You're going to get another chance to kill Raven."_

_Terra's face brightened at the news._

"_OK, you've got my attention. Where is she? Has she returned?"_

"_No she has not. She's still in Azarath, with her husband Beast Boy."_

"_And how am I supposed to get there? It's in another dimension."_

"_It will be arranged. But you must first return to Jump City, which is a good idea as Batman has located the Gotham lair and is preparing to capture you. If you don't hurry he will apprehend and send you to Arkham Asylum, and you don't want that, trust me."_

_Terra looked visibly shaken by Slade's warning about the Dark Knight. _

"_Ok, I'll be out of here ASAP."_

"_That's a smart girl. Don't keep me waiting. Our benefactor can be very impatient"._

And the recording ended. Batman downloaded it into flash memory module and led the team to the exit elevator.

"We're going to Jump City. Be ready in an hour"

_**-( - )-**_

Raven and Beast Boy were turning in for the night. He saw a look of weariness on her face that he had never seen before. They had no change of clothes but Ria had been able to procure them some sleepwear, which in balmy Azarath consisted of a T-shirt and some boxer shorts, and a pair of silk dressing gowns (robes). Her valet took their clothes to the laundry, promising they would be ready in the morning. Ria could tell they were tired and wished them a good night before the valet arrived. It had been a whirlwind day for both of them and Beast Boy knew that Raven needed some soothing. She lied on her side, facing him with her head on his shoulder. He ran his hand soothingly along her side, caressing her waist and hip. She had been still for several minutes and he was beginning to doze off when she whispered to him.

"I'm so sorry Gar, you deserve better than this." A tear dripped from her cheek onto his shoulder. He cupped her face in his palm.

"I'm not going to lie to you Rae, but I hate it here. I want to go home."

She kissed him tenderly on his forehead.

"I know. I'd rather face Terra. But how can we leave Azarath like this? It's just wrong Gar; it's not supposed to be this way. They are my people and I'm their protector. I can't turn my back on them."

He stroked her hair and kissed her.

"Of course we can't. We can't turn our backs on them. We're Titans. "

She kissed him back.

"You know I love you, right?"

He smiled. "How could I not? You only shouted it into the faces of those nasty matriarchs" He paused. "I hated how they were parading those guys in front of you, it made me feel so..." his voice trailed off as he pulled himself up, sitting on the edge of the bed. He didn't want her to see his face, as he was fighting back tears of anger.

Raven hopped off the bed and stood in front of Beast Boy, her gaze locked with his. She took his hands in her own and dropped down on her knees.

"Gar, I'm so sorry you've had to suffer through all this. You do know that I would never betray you? I would rather die than forsake you Gar."

He sniffled. "Thanks Rae." A tear streamed down his cheek. "I already knew that, but sometimes it just helps to hear it. It's just that I've never felt I was good enough for you, and all those pretty rich boys just reminded me that I'm a green freak with pointy ears and fangs."

"Hey!" she said crossly "They might be rich boys, but you're something they'll never be: A Man. My Man."

He cracked that goofy smile she loved from the day she first met him. He scooted over and patted the bed with his palm. She slid in and embraced him. Within minutes they were both asleep.

_**-( - )-**_

"So what are you going to tell your daughter Arella?" Mayra asked.

The Matriarchs had met in Arella's office on the top floor of her tower, and she did not like the tone of Mayra's voice. Arella saw hostility in their eyes. She knew what they were going to say. They had not approved of Raven's return when Arella had planned it months ago. Their grasp on Azarath was tenuous at best. Had it not been for the puppet they had appointed as Mayor they knew that all control would have been lost months ago. Now with a mayoral election coming up it was possible that their hard earned gains might get flushed away.

But they were also shocked. They had no idea that the populace rejected the rule of the Matriarchs and their polygamous morality. The crowd's thunderous approval of Raven's public display of lust for her first still stung in their ears. Something had to be done. Something WOULD be done.

"That's my own business!" Arella thundered back at her.

"It isn't any longer." An old crone snapped back at her. "She's become a threat Arella. If you won't deal with her, we will."

"And just what do you propose I do? She's my daughter for Azar's sake. My only heir."

"We told you not to bring her back. She's been on Earth far too long." Another Matriarch crowed. "She's been corrupted. You saw how she expressed her lust for that boy! We're lucky they didn't strip down and mate right in front of us."

Arella snorted at the ridiculous suggestion.

"And she isn't really one of us." Mayra continued. "She's human, like you! Only you humans can be so filthy with your animalistic desires. And don't deny it! We've heard the stories about you and your husbands. We looked the other way because you kept it private, but no more Arella. You will resolve this problem now or we will!" she snarled.

The accusation stung. Arella considered herself Azarathian, and Raven had been born in Azarath. She thought that they had been accepted as a one of them. Now she knew the truth.

"Again, what do you want from me?" Arella asked. She knew right there and then that she was finished, as she could not control Raven.

"You have three choices." The crone answered.

"One: You control her, make her behave. Make her pick her other three husbands. She can even have orgies with them for all we care, as long as she behaves in public."

"Or?"

"Two: You send her away and she can never return. We'll even buy you out so you can return with her if you wish. You might as well without an heir or sons." Arella had no offspring with her 4 husbands. She leaned too late that human and Azarathian genomes were incompatible.

"Or?"

"Three: You let us deal with her."

Arella laughed. "You cannot harm her. She is beyond any of you. Yours is an empty threat."

The crone cackled. "You underestimate us my dear. We have been in touch with your friend Slade Wilson on Earth. He is most despicable, but useful. In exchange for a handsome payment he has promised us an assassin who can take care of your daughter and her 'first'. So it's really up to you Arella."

Arella stared at the quorum before her. They shocked her, but she concealed it. So much for Azarathian enlightenment, the Matriarchs were no better than the Mafia on Earth. She had already made up her mind. She would warn Raven and Garfield. She knew that that they would never submit. Hopefully they would leave. The other option was unthinkable: civil war in Azarath, plus Slade's assassin.

"I will speak with her tomorrow."

_**-( - )-**_

Beastboy woke up first. It had been a warm night and they had kicked off the covers from the bed. Raven was curled up next to him, snoring softly. Beastboy thought that it was funny how she snored. She was so delicate looking, his gray princess, and her snoring seemed so out of place. He still couldn't believe his luck. That a freak like him had wound up with a girl like her. He remembered how the girls at the pizza parlor snubbed him the day Soto kidnapped him. They even preferred a dog to him. And there had been other girls he had struck out with. No wonder he had fallen for Terra, he really was desperate at the time. And Raven had always seemed so inaccessible, so out of his league…

He noticed that the snoring had stopped. He looked down and saw that she was awake and had been observing him.

"Time to get up" she said.

"I don't want to. All there is on the other side of that door is nothing but trouble. Crazy, power hungry women who hate men and now hate us too."

There was a knock on the door. Garfield put his robe on and walked to the door and opened it. It was Ria.

"I'm sorry to disturb you, but Arella is here to see both of you."

Beastboy opened the door all the way. "Tell her she can come in now."


	12. Chapter 12

Slade signed off before Terra could ask him how he knew that Batman had located the lair. It didn't matter as Terra was beginning to panic. She had not bargained with facing the Dark Knight by herself. Slade told her all about Batman, and it wasn't good. All she knew was that she had to get out of the lair immediately and return to California. As she ran back to the bunk where she had briefly napped she planned on how to get away. She grabbed her knapsack and headed to the elevator, running so fast that she hit the rear wall on the lift as she entered it. She veered around quickly, and tapped the up button several times. Eventually the elevator came to life and slowly rose to the surface. In her haste she forgot to activate the SladeBots as she left, to leave a booby trap for Batman and the Titans. After what felt like an eternity the elevator reached the surface and she ran out. The elevator then retracted back into the floor, hiding itself once again.

Terra came bounding out of the cannery, tripping more than once and almost falling each time. Finally she stopped to catch her breath. She looked around, quickly scanning the area for any signs of the enemy. She then hopped onto a large rock and took off. She went straight for the Gotham River, skimming the surface as she glided swiftly upstream to her destination, Clarksville.

She had flown into Clarksville municipal airport on one of Slade's private jets, which was also registered to a fictitious owner, this time a Mr. Hans Nielsen. From there she rode a bus into Gotham. Now Mr. Nielsen would be making a return trip to California. Hopefully by the time Batman figured out what had happened she would be safely back in Jump City. Her only concern was the Titans. They would follow her back to Jump City, and possibly bring Batman with them.

She was flying up the river as fast as she could go. After almost an hour she reached Clarksville, and not a minute too soon. She was exhausted and drenched in sweat. She flew up an embankment onto Fourth St. where she continued gliding on her boulder. She glanced at her watch and saw that it almost 2:00 AM. As she zoomed down the street she blew past a wino, who after seeing her fly by tossed his half full bottle of Thunderbird into a nearby trash can and staggered home.

She soon reached Airport Road and turned right. The streets were deserted as she finally reached the small airport, which was closed. She flew over a chain link fence and glided up next to her airplane. She hopped off the boulder, which she abandoned right there. After running up to the plane she opened the hatch and entered. There was a deactivated SladeBot stowed in the passenger cabin which she turned on. After completing its boot process the robot stood up and entered the cockpit, taking a seat in the pilot's chair. It began the preflight check sequence as Terra settled into a passenger seat in the cabin. They were airborne within 5 minutes. The flight plan filed indicated that Mr. Nielsen's plane was headed for Chicago, but that was a ruse. The SladeBot was programmed to fly low to evade detection. They would fly under cover and land at Slade's airstrip in the California desert in 5 hours. Terra reclined her seat all the way back until it was as flat as a bed. She tucked a pillow under her head after wrapping herself in a blanket. She slept until the plane arrived at its destination.

_**-( - )-**_

Batman was analyzing the message recording he downloaded with one of his computers. It detected a message header with a 1:06 AM timestamp on it. It was now past 4:00 AM and he knew Terra had a head start on them. There was no point rushing as even at supersonic speed they would not be able to overtake her. A search through air traffic control records showed that a private jet left Clarksville at 1:57 with Chicago as its destination. There had been no other private jet takeoffs after 1:00 AM in the greater Gotham area. There was no doubt Terra was on that airplane.

Batman addressed his extended team.

"It's too late to overtake Terra. By the time I can get government approval for supersonic flight she will already be in Jump City with Slade. Instead we will proceed at regular speed to Jump City and will regroup at the Bat Cave I have there."

"You never told me you have a Bat Cave in Jump City." Nightwing remarked in an offended tone.

Batman told the Titans that he setup an outpost in Jump City to keep an eye on them when they had first formed their team. Once the Tower was built Batman had scaled back his surveillance. He had almost come to their aid when Terra attacked and nearly destroyed them, but his hands were full at the time in Gotham. After that the surveillance ended and the west coast Bat Cave was mothballed.

Nightwing looked indignant. "So you were spying on us? You thought we would screw up?"

"To be honest, the thought crossed my mind …. but you proved me wrong."

"Thank heaven for small favors!" Cyborg replied crossly.

Batman stared stoically at the Titans before continuing.

"We'll take the Batwing and the T-Ship. Nightwing and Starfire, I want you to join me in the Batwing. Cyborg, here are the coordinates to the Bat Cave. Robin, you'll travel with the Titans. Cyborg will be the pilot as he can recharge without sleeping. The rest of you get some shut eye as we'll hit the ground running once we get there. There should be some intelligence for us once we arrive. Hopefully Terra will still be with Slade once we arrive. Understood? Good. Any questions?"

"Do we have a plan for when we arrive?" Bumblebee asked.

"We'll review the intelligence my systems are gathering and proceed accordingly." Batman replied as he climbed into the Batwing. Starfire lifted her fiancé and flew them both into the cockpit as the rest of the Titans and Robin got into the T-Ship.

They were on their way just a few minutes later.

_**-( - )-**_

Arella's air limo took off from her tower and headed to the University. They were expecting her at the school and she was cleared to land on the roof top. As her limo approached the school Arella saw that there was a human shield around it. Thousands of Azarathians had formed a ring around the tower's base. No doubt rumors of the Matriarch's security forces storming the tower made their rounds. The forces were all female mercenaries recruited from other dimensions. They were about 200 strong and were well trained and armed. If they chose to they would be able to massacre the school's defenders, who would be no match for them. Arella hoped that the Matriarchs would have more common sense than to do that, but at this point she was no longer sure. What she did know was that much was at stake here, and she could not afford to fail.

As the limo landed on the roof the Dean was waiting for her. She escorted Arella in to her office and asked her to wait. She then went to check on Raven and Beast Boy, to let them know she had arrived. She returned a few minutes later.

"They're ready to see you."

Ria led Arella into the bedroom. Beast Boy was standing by the door and walked back to the bed , where Raven were sitting on its edge, still in her sleep wear. He sat down next to her. It was late in the morning and they both looked uneasy, clearly not knowing what to expect from the violet haired Matriarch.

"Good morning mother" Raven said in her old monotone. "To what do we owe this honor?"

Arella bit her lower lip as she gazed upon the young newlyweds. It suddenly dawned on her how much Raven looked like her father, or at least like the human form he took when he met Arella. Raven didn't look like her mother at all. It was the reason Arella had dyed her hair violet years ago, so that there would be a common trait they could share. Raven had her father's 'human' face. Unlike Arella who was tall and had an athletic build, Raven was short and curvy. She did not inherit any of her mother's Asian features. And she was gray from head to toe. There were times when Arella doubted if Raven was really her daughter, that maybe Trigon had inserted her preconceived embryo into Arella's womb. But Azar dispelled all doubts regarding that matter. Through her visions she had verified that Raven was indeed Arella's daughter and that she inherited her human nature entirely from her mother.

She then saw them for the first time as a couple, as equals as they sat defiantly before her. She never imagined that there could be a man anywhere who could or would love her strange daughter, but here he was, right before her. Of course he was strange in his own way. And brave, very brave. Either that or he was a fool, taking a half demon as his mate. She sighed as she saw them together, a mere two days after getting married. It crossed her mind that they should be in Hawaii or Cancun on their honeymoon, instead of being holed up in Dean's guest room at the University.

"Raven, Garfield" she addressed them. Beast Boy looked mildly surprised. She had actually called him by his name.

"I'm here representing the Matriarchs. They want to make a deal with you."

"A deal?" Beast Boy replied, "You men like one we can't refuse?"

Arella rubbed her forehead with her palm.

"You could call it that."

Raven sighed and moaned "OK, let's get this over with. What's the deal?"

Arella paused and sighed. This wasn't going to be easy.

"They're offering you two choices."

"Yes?"

"You can either move back in with me and behave, or you can leave Azarath forever."

"Define 'behave'" Raven hissed.

"You marry three more husbands and publicly renounce monoism. Once you do that you will be admitted into the circle."

Raven leaped to her feat. "Unacceptable! I'll never do that!" She roared.

"Then you'll have to leave"

"Like hell we will!" Beast Boy growled.

Arella collected herself before continuing. "If you don't they will bring in an assassin to deal with you."

Raven snorted. "An assassin? Oh please! Mother, have you forgotten who we are?"

"You don't understand, we've been in contact with Slade Wilson"

"What!" they both screamed.

"This won't be easy to hear, but you must listen. I used Slade to break up the Titans. I financed the gang wars and Slade's factory back in Jump City."

"Why?" Beast Boy said incredulously as Raven became red as a tomato.

"To get Raven to come back, Garfield, why else?"

Raven peeled her T shirt off, exposing her scars and bullet wounds. Arella's eyes became as big as saucers at the sight of the wounds on her daughters torso.

"Look at me mother, take a good look. This is what your money bought! I was shot eleven times! I almost died!"

Arella averted her gaze from her daughter's naked torso, tears running down her cheeks.

"Slade is sending someone called Terra."

"She'd better not come." Beast Boy warned. "If she does she's dead meat."

"Listen, please. Come home with me." Arella pleaded.

"Arella, Raven's my wife, and I'm not gonna share her with any of those rich pretty boys. You can forget it!"

"No Garfield, I'm not asking her to do that."

"But you said…" Raven interrupted.

"No, that's what they want. But you know what? They can go to hell. I'm done with them. Please come home with me. Your presence here is placing the University in danger."

"OK, say we come home, then what? Will you continue to humiliate Gar by speaking to him in third person and calling him my 'first'?"

Arella sniffled. "No, I promise to never do that again."

Raven looked surprised. She took Beast Boys arm and led him to the rear of the room, where they conferred in whispers.

"What do you think Gar?" she asked him.

He was sorely tempted to reply 'you look great topless' but knew that was a bad idea, instead he whispered back something very wise.

"She's your mother, Rave. You should forgive her. You don't know when you'll lose her for good."

Raven pondered his words before replying "Since when are you so smart?" His only reply was a smug grin.

"And horny too? Sheesh Gar, I could feel your lust from a mile away. It's not like you've never seen my boobs before."

He suppressed a laugh. "Sorry, I can't help it if you're so hot' he whispered back.

Raven rolled her eyes and walked back to her mother.

"Ok, but we don't want a housekeeper. Find Gayla another job."

Arella let out a sigh of relief.

"Thank Azar! We can leave now, I have a limo outside. But before we go, would you get dressed ,my dear? I know that in some places on Earth it's acceptable for women to go topless in public, but here in Azarath even the most progressive monos would be scandalized by your attire." She teased Raven.

"Very funny mother." She said as she slipped her T-Shirt back on.

Arella stepped forward and hugged the couple. She released Raven and hugged just Beast Boy, kissing him on his right cheek.

"Please forgive me, Garfield. I have been such a fool. May I call you my son?"

Raven looked both surprised and relieved. A small smile appeared on her gray face.

"Sure. It's what I had been hoping for when we left Earth."

Arella smiled as she released him. She then stepped out to wait for them to get ready. The Dean's valet had already returned their clothes to them. As they showered and prepared themselves for the day Arella chatted with the Dean, and promised her to fund an endowment in Raven's and Garfield's name. After about 20 minutes the chromatically challenged couple emerged and bid the Dean farewell, thanking her for her hospitality during their time of need. They promised to stay in touch with her.

As they travelled back to the Roth tower Raven and Beast Boy pondered what would they do about the Matriarchs. Moving back in with Arella would only fool them for so long. Eventually they would demand that Raven pick 3 of their sons to marry. Arella would only be able to stall for so long.

"Out of the fire and into the frying pan" Beast Boy whispered to his wife, who nodded silently.


	13. Chapter 13

The private jet began its final descent into the desert foothills. Terra awoke as the robotic pilot turned on the seatbelt sign with it associated chime. She scooted over to another seat that was already in the upright position and buckled herself in. She looked out the window and saw hundreds of SladeBots sweeping a thick layer of sand off the hidden runway, completing their task just as the plane touched down. After taxiing to the end of the runway, which ended at the face of a tall cliff, the jet entered a hidden cavern. As she looked back she saw the SladeBots restoring the runway's sand cover. Once the jet had entered the cavern, which was a modern aircraft hangar on the inside the doors closed, hiding them from any prying eyes that might come by later.

Terra exited the plane and admired her surroundings. Slade ran a top notch crime organization. She still couldn't believe how all those rubes in Jump City had bought his "I've gone straight" shtick. It was worthy of an Academy Award. As she walked out of the hangar into the underground base she saw him, waiting for her in the shadows. He was dressed in his usual combat garb, with the select pieces of armor attached to his body.

"Welcome home, partner." He welcomed her in his monotone, emotion free voice.

"So, you're not mad at me?" she asked.

"You mean for trying to kill Raven a third time, failing again, chasing her to Gotham only to have her slip away to Azarath when I told you not to?" He replied and paused.

"Of course not. You did it out of spite, to avenge your loss. That's a forgivable offense in my book. It doesn't matter."

"Really? Are you serious?"

"Oh yes I am. In fact I have a proposition for you, one you might find … intriguing."

"And what would that be Slade?"

"That you become more than just my business partner Terra."

Terra stepped back in shock. Was he asking what she thought he was?

"You want me to be your girlfriend?" she asked with a worried look on her face.

Slade snickered. "Girlfriend? I thought we were adults Terra. No, I propose much more than that my dear. So much more than that."

Terra hesitated before responding. "A-r-r-e you proposing marriage Slade?"

Slade roared in laughter. "No Terra, that would be too conventional. And we aren't conventional, are we now?"

Terra looked cross. "You just want to sleep with me Slade, don't you?"

"That I do Terra, but there is more to my offer than you might imagine. We would be full partners Terra, equals. Everything that is mine would be yours."

That was intriguing, but she couldn't help but wonder why he was proposing this.

"I'm interested Slade, but why the sex? If you have needs you can certainly afford the finest call girls in the world."

"Because the intimacy will seal our partnership. It's always been about that, Terra; even when you were my apprentice we had a bond and now that you are an adult we can move it to a higher level."

"For a horny guy you sure are smooth, Slade. But if you want me to sleep with you, well you're gonna have to do better that that." She called his bluff.

"That's why I've always liked you, Terra; you always aim high. I will consider your counter offer. In the meantime we have another matter to attend to."

"Raven!" she grinned.

"Yes. Apparently Raven has made a few enemies already in Azarath, and they want her eliminated, permanently ... but there is a catch."

"I'm not surprised. Who could like the gray witch?" she laughed.

"Apparently Beast Boy does, and he's the catch."

"What do you mean Slade?" she asked nervously.

"You have to kill him too."

_**-( - )-**_

Arella's limo arrived at the Roth tower and landed in a secured hangar. Arella had her own security forces and they guarded the tower with a great deal of vigilance. The trio emerged from the flying limo and headed into the tower. It was already lunch time and the Logans joined Arella for lunch in her private dining hall. While they enjoyed their meal Arella summoned her personal tailor to the room.

"Garfield, Agnetha is here to take your measurements. I'm having some new clothes made for you."

"Gee, thanks Arella, but I already have a closet full of new clothes that Gayla bought for me yesterday."

"I know Garfield, but they are not good enough for you anymore. Agnetha will have a new suit ready for you by the time our luncheon is over."

"That's certainly quick." Raven interrupted. "What's the occasion?"

"We're meeting with some new friends tonight."

_**-( - )-**_

Beast Boy and Raven returned to their apartment after the meal was over. Gar's new suit was already finished. He picked it up and gave a close examination, and couldn't see anything unusual about it. It looked pretty much like his other Azarathian suits, "new age monk" as he called them. Raven however looked very surprised, which Gar noticed.

"What's wrong Raven?"

"Your suit is white."

Beast Boy suddenly realized that Raven and Arella where the only two people in the whole tower who wore white, and he recalled how his old formal wear was blue, to indicate that he was Raven's 'first'.

"Ok, I get it. White is special, but what does it mean?" he asked.

"Men don't wear white, never. Only Matriarchs and their heirs wear white."

"So this is a 'welcome to the family' kinda statement?"

"It's more than that. Why don't you put it on?"

Beast Boy changed into his new outfit, which fit much better than the off the rack suit Gayla purchased for him. Raven examined him carefully. He could see the approval in her eyes.

"So, what does it mean?" he asked her again.

"It means mother is taking a stance Gar, a very bold stance. She is saying that women and men are equal. By giving you this suit she has announced that you are just as much her heir as I am."

"Dude! Won't she get into trouble for this?"

"I think she already is, and we are in trouble with her."

_**-( - )-**_

Batman guided the Batwing out of Gotham into the stratosphere, followed closely by the T-Ship. Soon the two aircraft were at cruising altitude with their respective auto pilots engaged. The crew on the T-Ship was beginning to settle in for the 5 hour flight to the west coast.

Nightwing and Starfire were seated behind Batman. Starfire had unbuckled herself and was seated on Richard's lap, and she was kissing her beloved very tenderly. She stopped and opened a pouch in the Bat utility belt Bruce had given her before they left Gotham. She reached into the pouch and retrieved her engagement ring and admired its unparalleled beauty.

"Bruce, this was your Mother's ring, was it not?" she asked.

"It was indeed." He replied.

"It is a most glorious ring. I am not sure that I can accept it. I feel compelled to return it to you."

"I understand. You may give it to Dick."

She had done the polite thing and was now going to lose the beautiful ring. It didn't really matter. No doubt Richard would find another dazzling ring to give her later. They could even start their own heirloom legacy, she consoled herself. She handed the ring to Richard, closed her eyes and laid her head on his shoulder. He then handed the ring to Bruce, who stared at it intently. He then handed back to Richard.

"This ring has been a token and symbol of joyful times in the Wayne family. Every time it had a new owner our family grew. Starfire, I want you to know that your joining our family is also a source of great joy. Richard, would you please place that ring on your fiancée's finger."

Nightwing smiled and slipped the ring on the Princess's finger. They embraced and kissed for the longest time.

"So Starfire, how many grandchildren will you be giving me?"

Starfire blushed before replying. "I do not know Bruce, but they will be many."

"Many?" Nightwing choked. "Just how many is 'many'?"

Starfire giggled before kissing her beau again.

Batman interrupted. "Starfire, will Dick become a Prince when you are married?"

"Only if we are married on Tamaran" she replied.

"Interesting that you mention that, because it would be tricky for you two to legally marry on Earth. You would need t provide your legal names for the certificate. For you it's not a problem, as you have no secret identity, but Nightwing does."

Starfire gasped at the significance of Batman's remark.

"After we complete the mission I will contact Galfore so he can make the arrangements." She beamed.

"Alfred will be disappointed, Bruce." Nightwing joked. "I know that he has already begun to plan the reception."

Batman chuckled. "He'll live."

_**-( - )-**_

"So tell me of this news Gayla. You say it concerns Raven and her first? Has something happened? We were told by Arella that they agreed to return with her and behave. Why have you come to my household to share this?" Mayra told the old nursemaid.

"I heard of something very disturbing, Mistress. I was having a late lunch in the senior servants dining hall when Agnetha, Arella's personal tailor joined me as we were the only ones present. She told me that Arella commissioned her to make custom suits for Raven's first, and told her not to spare any cost."

"That is unusual Gayla, but why have you come to tell me this? Perhaps this was a bone she tossed to Raven to appease her."

"There is more ,Mistress."

"Well, don't keep me waiting, what is it?"

"The suits, they are to be white."

Mayra was sipping some tea and choked when she heard that last tidbit. She dropped her teacup and it shattered as it hit the floor.

"What? Has she lost her mind? She can't do that, it's illegal. The boy isn't her heir."

"It is true my Mistress, the boy will wear it tonight. Arella is hosting a dinner party tonight for several dignitaries from the University."

Mayra stared out the window, lost in thought. She then snapped back to reality.

"Thank you Gayla, you have been most helpful." She handed her a small pouch that jingled. It was full of platinum coins, which together were worth more than 5 years of Gayla's annual salary. "Take this, as a small token of my appreciation. The Matriarchs value your loyalty to tradition. And please let me know more if anything arises."

Gayla chose not to tell her that she has been dismissed as Raven's housekeeper and was reassigned to general housekeeping. It would be much harder to gather gossip now.

"Gayla, is it true that they mate daily like animals?"

Gayla nodded in the affirmative. "They have no morals Mistress. I have witnessed it myself."

"You have watched while they mate?" The Matriarch said in horror.

"Absolutely not!" Gayla retorted. "But I have seen the aftermath. I returned from an errand and found them both in bed asleep after mating, completely naked!"

"Perhaps it is best not to think of these things Gayla, for they are far too upsetting for people like us who still understand what decency is."

"Yes Mistress. I shall be going now as I do not wish to be missed at the tower."

Mayra dismissed Gayla, who was escorted out of her private office by her butler.

_**-( - )-**_

I'm bringing back an old tradition: the mail bag!

**Nitebreaker** - Oh yes, there is plenty of unfinished business!

**titanfan45** - I have mixed feelings. In some ways I like the remake story story better, but now that I'm revisiting the original I can see its merits too.

**Hairul The Nightrage Beast** - Beast Boy can be wise when you least expect it.

**sliceshadow** - ask and you shall receive

**Guest** - Thanks for your kind words.

**derek** - Yes, she came to her senses.

**Invader Johnny** - Hang in there, the rainbow appears after the storm

**JasonVUK** - All that training came in handy, she kept her cool.


	14. Chapter 14

Terra couldn't believe what she was hearing. Just minutes ago Slade had been hitting on her with empty promises of partnership (but none of marriage) and to top it all off he wanted her to murder the only boy she had ever loved. How did she ever let Slade bamboozle her into these situations? Twice he had talked her out of a relationship with Beast Boy and she had now lost him for good to that wretched, ugly witch.

Slade was droning on in the background about how there would be a portal for her jump through and that some Amazon named Ragithra would be her contact and that their benefactors in Azarath would pay them the equivalent of a 100 million US dollars to kill Beast Boy and Raven. What did they do to have such a bounty placed on their heads?

She couldn't get Beast Boy out of her mind. What a fool she had been. Did she really think that he wouldn't care that she betrayed them all to Slade? That he would run away with her while the Titans were being slaughtered and the Tower burned to the ground? The thought that she blew it with him gnawed at her. He had been putty in her hands, hopelessly in love with her and had eventually forgiven everything she did to the Titans and to him, and she still managed to blow it. He came back a second time and she blew him off. She might as well have handed him to Raven on a silver platter.

But what really cut through her heart like a dagger was the she had hurt him more than once and even tried to kill him, while mocking him. Why did she do these things?

She accepted that she was a wretch and her punishment was to know that her only true love slept in the witch's bed every night and that someday she would bear his children. Terra knew that she could have made him so much happier than Raven ever could with her repressed emotions and demonic temper. But that was all lost now, like tears in the rain. Terra couldn't even console herself with any memories, because they were all tainted. Even the best time of her entire life, the night she spent with him at the amusement park was soiled with her betrayal. She had to hand it to Raven. She might be an ugly gray witch with a nasty temper, but she would never betray Beast Boy.

It was funny though, how she and Raven were so much alike. They were both insecure, had trouble controlling their powers, and were afraid of being alone while they pushed their friends away at the same time. But Raven was loyal and faithful, unlike Terra. And that mattered more to Beast Boy than being fun or cute. And Raven had better taste in friends than Terra, who seemed to be stuck with Slade, who was now taking what Terra felt was an unhealthy interest in her. Why couldn't he like someone creepy like Raven?

"Terra, have you been listening to anything I said?"

Terra snapped out of her trance and turned to face Slade.

"I can't do it Slade, I won't. I won't hurt BB. Never. Not for all the money on the world."

"Why not? You've done it before for free. You even said it was fun, if I recall correctly."

What he said was true, and it cut through her soul like a dagger. She was filled with remorse and shame. She choked back her tears. She was damned if he would let her see him cry.

"And we need the money. Arella has backed out as our benefactor. If we run out of cash we'll have to sell the unfinished factory to Bruce Wayne or Lex Luthor, and we don't want that to happen."

"You need the cash Slade, I don't."

Slade sighed. "Terra, if you don't go they'll just get someone else to do it. Maybe Madame Rouge or someone from Gotham."

Terra's heart sank. There was but one thing to do. She would go.

"OK, I'll do it." She caved in. "When do I leave?"

_**-( - )-**_

The Titans arrived at the west coast Bat Cave. It was located on the site of a sprawling geo-thermal power plant owned by Wayne Enterprises, which kept it far away from prying eyes. Lucius Fox made arrangements to keep the power plant's staff away from the secret hideout. The team spent an hour unloading all the supplies from the planes, which include fresh food supplies. As Cyborg unloaded the T-Ship he noticed that one of the boxes contained Tofu. As he held the box he remembered all the times he had spent with Beast Boy, playing video games, watching TV, eating pizza, kicking bad guy butt. He felt a hand on his shoulder. It was Starfire, who was levitating at his eye level.

"I miss our friends too. I hope they are OK."

He nodded sadly. "So do I Star, so do I."

Batman had been working with his surveillance systems for a while, and didn't look happy when he was done. There was no sign of Terra. Not a single camera in the town had seen her face. She was staying out of the public eye. Slade had also been absent for a few days. Something was afoot. Nightwing was seated nearby with Bumblebee and Mas Y Menos, scouring over piles of reports. Only Nightwing heard Batman approach them and looked up. The Dark Knight stared gravely at them, before sharing his findings.

"They aren't in the city. They might be holed up in one of Slade's lairs, in town or nearby."

"You think they might have left for Azarath already?" Bumblebee asked.

"I don't think so; my sensors would have picked up a portal opening. They're still on Earth, the question is where?"

Starfire joined them, carrying a plate of French Toast that Cyborg had just made for her. As usual, they were smothered in gravy and peanut butter, the sight of which made Batman gag.

"There is no record of Terra's plane landing in Jump City, am I correct?" she said between bites, which she washed down with Root Beer.

"That is correct Starfire." Batman replied.

"Slade has had hideouts in the wilderness before. Perhaps the plane landed there and they are hiding from us." Starfire added as she finished her breakfast, smacking her lips. "Thank you Cyborg, as always the French Toast was most satisfactory."

"Does she always eat disgusting things like that?" Bruce whispered to Dick, who nodded in reply.

Bumblebee joined the discussion. "They could have landed in the desert!"

"The Mojave Desert is huge, how will we find them?" Nightwing told the group.

Batman returned to his computer console. He knew that much of the Mojave airspace was restricted. He pulled an airspace map into the computer and using a variant of the 'Traveling Salesman' algorithm plotted possible courses that would avoid coming too close to any of the neighboring airbases in the region. The computer slowly began reporting possible landing locations where the ground was flat and long enough for a makeshift runway. When it was done it reported 27 different sites. 15 he eliminated immediately as they were too close to small towns or major highways, risking detection. 6 more came off the list because they were too inaccessible, which left him with 6 candidates. Of those all but two were out in the open, with no place to hide a base.

There was one location that caught his eye. It was next to a large canyon wall and there was a small unpaved road nearby. He did a cross check on who owned that parcel of land. Within seconds the title record was on his screen. The titled owner was a Mr. Hans Nielsen, the same Hans Nielsen who owned the plane that flew out of Clarksville at 2:00AM that morning.

"Nightwing, who is the honorary Titan who can travel between dimensions?"

"That would be The Herald. We haven't seen him for some time."

"Please contact him and have him join us here. I found Slade's hide out, but if they escape to Azarath before we get there, we'll need a way to get to Azarath."

"I'm on it." Nightwing replied. "I hope he still has his communicator."

_**-( - )-**_

Raven and Beast Boy arrived a few minutes early for the dinner party. It was held in a large hall near the top of the Roth Tower. The room was large with an elegant, large rosewood table that seated 60 guests. In the middle of the table was a chair with a higher back than the others, which was clearly Arella's chair. Across from her position were two other chairs with higher backs, though shorter than the first chair's back. There were clearly for Beast Boy and Raven. Arella had gone out of her way to make Gar's new position in her household self evident.

Night had fallen on Azarath and the city's nightline could be seen clearly through the large windows as the wait staff scurried around making the final preparations for the evening. Raven noticed that they were using the very best china, glassware and cutlery for the occasion. Alfred would have been envious to see the settings.

Arella entered the room with a group of guests, and proceeded to introduce them to the Logans. The academics seemed especially pleased to meet Beast Boy, who noticed that all of the men were dressed in blue cassocks and their wives wore various colors, but none wore white. As more guests continued to arrive the servants began to serve drinks. Beast Boy and Raven opted for a sweet bubbly wine. The conversation in the room started out with the usual small talk. The academics asked the Logans about what life was like on Earth and other trivial matters. But it didn't take long for the conversation to take a more serious turn: The Matriarchs.

There was a great deal of fear that the Matriarchs would use their security forces to seize absolute control of Azarath. The word was that they would do it with pretest of preserving Azarath and its traditions. Rumors had it that they would seize the monastery first. The monastery had traditionally been a destination for young men from the upper classes who for one reason or another had failed to be married off to a suitable woman. At first the monastery followed Azarath's rules of gender inequality but that had ended when Azar became the Abbess many years ago. While it raised eyebrows at the time it was tolerated as an eccentricity. Now that monoism was spreading like wildfire through Azarath there was fear that the Matriarchs would use the monastery to set an example. Arella motioned Raven and Gar to be at her side. She had an announcement to make.

"Friends, as you all know that while I am still a member of the Council of Matriarchs, I am no longer in good standing with them and do not know what they are planning to do. But as of this afternoon I was notified that I am on probation and expect to be expelled by tomorrow morning as the spies under my roof will no doubt report what we are speaking about tonight."

The crowd murmured amongst themselves before Arella continued.

"Tonight I am taking a stand. The first step I have taken is to legally recognize my son-in-law Garfield Logan as an heir to my household."

The crowd murmured some more, and Gar saw the approving faces, especially amongst the men, all of whom were academics like their wives. He realized that he had become their hero. Oh well, he was used to being a hero. But it was one thing to fight villains like Slade and quite another to take on the establishment. Being a subversive was not something he had done before.

Arella continued. "Secondly, I have taken steps to protect the monastery." She clapped her hands and the double doors into the dining hall were opened. A platoon of 30 armored female warriors entered the room and stood at attention. Raven's and Gar's jaws nearly hit the floor.

"You're Tamaranians!" Raven exclaimed.

The platoon leader acknowledged Raven and replied. "Yes we are my lady. We have been sent to serve and protect you."

"Did Star … I mean Princess Koriand'r send you?" Raven asked her.

"No, we were not sent by her highness. Arella contacted the Grand Ruler directly and explained the situation to him. He was more than happy to send us to assist you.

"Dude, it's like having 30 Starfires!" Gar rejoiced.

"I'm afraid not Mr. Logan. We are commoners and lack some of the Princess's powers. We are not as strong or as quick in flight as the Royal Princesses and we lack their ability to conjure star bolts or eye beams. Nevertheless we are up to the task of defending the monks and this household".

"Thank you Ariand'r" Arella replied. "As we speak the monks are preparing to move into the tower. The Tamaranian brigade will now be heading over to the monastery to safely escort the monks here."

"So we've thrown down the gauntlet now, haven't we?" Raven asked.

"It would appear so Raven" the Dean replied. "But that's not all."

"What do you mean?"Gar asked.

"We are due for a Mayoral election Garfield." Ria replied. "And we intend to win that office back for the people."

"Do you have a candidate in mind?" Raven asked.

"Yes we do." Ria confirmed. "We want to nominate you, Raven."

_**-( - )-**_

Raven running for office!?

And now, the mailbag!

**GreenRock** - I can't remember why I removed it. I have been cleaning it up a bit. I severely overused the word "had" in the original version.

**jovanchin2013** - Arella really has no excuse, since she came from Earth

**dj25taz** - Everyone has their price

** .3705** - Gayla was upset with Raven's behavior. BTW, in the comics, Gayle really was Raven's nanny.

**Hairul The Nightrage Beast** - That would make sense for him to do.

**titanfan45** - They are basically a symbol for all out of touch elites.

**JasonVUK** - I suddenly realized that I wasn't doing the mail bag anymore. I also thought that in the early comics BB had too much of a baby face

**Invader Johnny** - I think I've seen him laugh, and not Adam West either.

**derek** - So much intrigue! 


	15. Chapter 15

Arella wasn't the only high ranking citizen of Azarath entertaining that night. On the other side of town, in a complex that resembled an old medieval castle the oldest of the Matriarchs, Xanathia, was holding court. Mayra had told her that afternoon about what she had heard from Gayla. Other Matriarchs had spies in Arella's household as well. As a newcomer this had been Arella's greatest weakness. Unlike the other Matriarchal clans, some of which dated back thousands of years, the Roth clan had to recruit its staff from the general populace. In Mayra's clan there were families of servants that had been in her family's service for almost 100 generations. It had been easy to plant spies in Arella's household, and while she had rooted out many of those spies, there were still quite a few left.

They did not truste her from the beginning. The source of her wealth, which exceed the combined wealth of the other clans combined, was suspect from the day she arrived. Little did they know that it was a bribe from Trigon to Arella that she not abort Raven, as Arella knew from the beginning what her daughter's fate would be, as Trigon's portal.

The news the spies returned was not good. They confirmed that Arella had indeed dressed the boy in white, in defiance of the council. Actually, it was more than defiance, it was rebellion. Other reports indicated that Arella dismissed her four husbands, divorcing them, which was highly illegal. Those bonds were permanent for a reason, as they served to bind the clans in alliance. If they could be dissolved through divorce what would keep the clans together? Another report confirmed that she now had her own security force and was offering asylum to the monks.

Arella had gone too far this time, past the point of no return. She was now forming a new alliance with the University and was going to turn the whole city against them.

"We must be swift in dealing with her!" Xanathia pounded her bony, aged fist on the table. "I say we attack her tower tonight!"

Mayra did not agree. "We must be cautious Xanathia. My spies tell me that her new brigade is quite formidable. And I have learned something most disturbing. Raven's powers are much greater that when she left us as a child. With the help of her first she was able to destroy Trigon himself! The boy also has powers, and while they pale in comparison to hers, he is also a mighty opponent."

The council gasped when they heard this. None of them had any idea of how powerful Raven had become. They did not know who her father was, as Arella kept that information a tightly guarded secret.

"So this 'Slade', can he deliver the goods?" Xanathia asked.

"From what we know, his assassin, called Terra, was once able to defeat Raven and the boy in battle, and they only escaped with their lives out of sheer luck." Mayra answered.

"I have also heard that she was once the boy's lover." Another matriarch chimed in. "She might not even need to fight with them. If she could break them up Raven would lose all credibility with the masses."

"Sabotage a marriage? Are you serious? That goes against everything we believe in!" Mayra exclaimed.

"Oh grow up, Mayra. It's our survival as Matriarchs that's at stake here." A younger Matriarch blurted in an impatient tone.

Mayra wouldn't back down. "We will send for Terra. But as an assassin, not as a seductress! We are not whores. You might not value you honor, but I do value mine!"

"Enough!" Xanathia hissed. "We shall vote on this now."

The women wrote down what they though should be done on some small cards and handed them to Xanathia, who counted them. She then handed them to another Matriarch to confirm the tally. In the end two thirds voted to send for Terra to murder the Logans.

"It is decided then. I will contact Slade." Mayra affirmed.

_**-( - )-**_

Both the Batwing and the T-Ship emerged from the Jump City Bat Cave. They had to fly low to avoid detection as the T-Ship lacked the Batwing's stealth technology. They carefully flew around greater Jump City and headed out to the desert. Batman located a landing site that was 11 miles from Slade's hideout that would allow them to land undetected. The only question that remained was how to penetrate Slade's output while remaining undetected.

After landing it was decided that Starfire and Bumblebee would ferry the non flying members of the team to a vantage point near the base. It took three trips and saved the team about 3 hours of hiking through the rough terrain.

The observation point was about 300 yard from the canyon wall, which Cyborg scanned with his passive scanners, searching for a telltale electric signal that would give away the location of an entrance to the base, but found none. Slade had done a good job of shielding everything. There wasn't as single stray radio or magnetic field to be found anywhere.

"Sure wish BB were here, he could morph into a lizard or something and find that entrance in no time." Cyborg complained.

"If you wish to come in, why don't you just knock?" a familiar voice called from behind them.

It was Slade. He sneaked up behind them without being noticed. He was dressed in an Italian suit. Nightwing swore he could see him grin through his mask.

"Titans, I see you brought a friend along. It's been a while, hasn't it Batman? But where are my manners? It's already lunch time. Please do come in and join me."

"Cut the crap, Slade. Where's Terra?" Cyborg snarled.

"Terra isn't here. Do you think I would harbor a fugitive on my property?"

"We know she left Gotham on one of your jets, Slade. Where is she?" Starfire growled as she formed star bolts on both her hands.

"That she did. She stole one of my planes when she escaped from the police. I assure you that neither Terra nor my stolen jet are here. You may come in and see for yourselves." Slade had his robots completely dismantle the plane and they had hidden the parts in the desert. They would never find it.

"Thanks, we'll take your word Slade. We'll be on our way." Batman replied.

The hangar doors opened and a roofless hover car, piloted by a SladeBot, emerged from the cavern.

"I'm sorry that you've declined my offer of hospitality. Please allow me to take you back to your aircraft." Slade said as his hopped on board the vehicle, motioning the others to join him.

Batman realized that it was to their advantage to return to the local Bat Cave as soon as possible, and he accepted Slade's offer, much to the surprise of the others, who nevertheless joined him. Within five minutes they were at their landing sight.

"You saw us land, didn't you?" Cyborg asked.

"Yes, my sensors did detect your arrival Cyborg. It is unfortunate that the T-Ship is so antiquated that it lacks modern stealth technology." Slade handed Cyborg a business card. "Give me a call once the factory opens, Cyborg. I might be able to help you upgrade the T-Ship."

The backhanded insult did not go unnoticed by Cyborg. As if he would accept help from Slade. To hide the anger on his face he turned away from Slade as he muttered "No thanks" and began to inspect the T-Ship.

"If you are looking for tracking devices, you won't find any. Please consider my offer, Cyborg. I might even be able to sponsor the Titans. You would like to return to Jump City on a permanent basis, wouldn't you?"

Nightwing's voice trembled in anger as he replied "Good bye Slade. Remember, one slip up and we'll be all over you!"

"I wouldn't expect anything less from you, my former apprentice." Slade saw Batman frown as he spoke. Could this day get any better?

Slade smiled as the two aircraft lifted off and flew away. The ball was now in Terra's court.

_**-( - )-**_

Terra and Slade were standing in the hangar when the alarms had gone off. The Titans had arrived. The pair ignored the blaring klaxons as the portal opened before them, and not a moment too soon.

"Go, Terra; and complete your mission. The Titans are too late to stop you."

Terra eyed the portal cautiously. Slade had armed her to the teeth with his latest weapons, many of them stolen just months ago. She had a second generation thermal blaster on her wrist, two laser pistols and dozens of micro grenades, each the size of a marble while packing the power of kilogram of TNT. She stepped into the portal.

And emerged into a small room, which was full of armor clad women.

"You are the one called Terra?" Said a woman who was clearly the leader of the platoon. She towered over Terra, who estimated that she was at least two meters tall. "I expected the Assassin to be more awe inspiring."

"Never judge a book by its cover. Raven and Best Boy are also small, and apparently you are no match for them." Terra taunted them.

The Amazon like woman flinched at the insult.

"My name is Ragithra. We are to work together."

"I prefer to work alone. But I will accept your help. We may begin with a tactical review." Terra ordered the giantess.

Ragithra dismissed her honor guard and led Terra to a computer display where she showed her first the layout of Azarath followed by the blueprints to the Roth tower, both of which Terra downloaded into her data pad. Ragithra then gave her a strategic review of how best to penetrate the tower's defenses. After almost an hour they were done.

"Thank you Ragithra, you have been most helpful." Terra raised her arm, aiming the thermal blaster at the woman, and fired.

_**-( - )-**_

"You want me to run for Mayor?" Raven asked incredulously. "In case you haven't noticed, people skills aren't my strong suit!"

"You don't need them, Raven. The people love you. Your campaign speeches could be nothing but belches and you would still win the election in a landslide." Ria affirmed.

"You can do it, Rave; and I'll be right next to you." Gar placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder.

Raven chuckled. Since when did Gar remind her of what she was capable of? It had always been the other way around.

"And remember, you once said that fighting isn't always the answer." He reminded her.

Raven gazed into her beloved's emerald eyes and kissed him tenderly.

"Ok, I'll do it."

The crowd erupted in applause as one of Arella's stewards approached her and whispered into her ear.

"As always our timing is perfect. Dinner is served. Let us rejoice as there is much to celebrate. Garfield is now my son and heir and Raven will soon be mayor of Azarath."

The guests promptly took their places. Arella was seated first, followed by Raven and Gar and finally the remaining guests. The meal was exquisite and the wine flowed freely. Arella chuckled as she noticed that Raven and Gar were getting a little tipsy and Raven ordered the staff to serve them sparkling fruit juice instead. She called her wine steward over and instructed her to leave a chilled bottle of the sweet bubbly she saw them drink earlier in their room, for a night cap. She glanced happily at the couple, only noticing now how much they loved each other. Garfield had not only fallen in love with Raven, he found a way to bring her out of her shell.

Arella had only once loved someone like that and he betrayed her, used her. Still she had the last laugh. Their daughter was now living in her house and he had been destroyed. Life was good. Still there was the question of what to do with Melvar. Arella had gathered her husbands earlier that day and told them that she was now a mono and they were dismissed as her husbands. She would provide them with pensions to cover their expenses, but they had to move out by the end of the day.

Her first, Melvar, had pleaded with her to keep him as her husband. He was Mayra's youngest brother, 12 years younger than Arella. He had only been a boy of 15 when he was married to her. He was handsome at the time (and still was) and Arella let her lust get the best of her. She taught the young man the fine art of love making, and unlike her next three husbands he took a liking to her "lessons". She never did share her bed chamber with him, and adhered to the Azarathian tradition of mating in his room. Her next three husbands ended up rejecting her advances, saying that she was barren and that there was no point in mating. Soon enough word got out that she and Melvar were constantly in his room, and it was a source of quiet scandal amongst the Matriarchs.

Eventually Arella reached middle age and began to lose interest in Melvar. The nightly visits became less frequent until they stopped altogether. Melvar pleaded with her to resume their nights together, but she had refused. The truth was that Arella's conscience had caught up with her. She could no longer keep a lover who was no more than her servant. But still she missed Melvar.

Word of the dismissal reached Raven's ears and she decided to talk with her mother about Melvar. She could sense her mother's anguish and realized that there was more to her relationship with her first than she was letting on.

The party ended just before midnight and the Logans were soon in their apartment. They saw the bubbly sent by Arella and opened it, partaking of it while they relaxed in their living room. The cork had flown towards the window, shot in that direction by Beast Boy. Raven rolled her eyes and got up to retrieve it and discard it in the trash. It had rolled under the floor length drapes, which she parted to find the cork. As she opened them she gasped at sight she saw through the window.

"Terra!" she shouted.


	16. Chapter 16

Nightwing piloted the Batwing into the sky, unconcerned about anyone detecting them. Batman was checking the sensor logs that were recorded while they were away on foot. The T-Ship was close behind with Cyborg at the yoke. He was still fuming over Slade calling the T-Ship "obsolete" and offering to help the Titans. What really stung the most about that remark was that they still needed help. The fact that they weren't flying back to the Tower was a painful reminder that the one eyed villain was right. The Titans were still beggars. They didn't even have enough cash to fill up the tank on the T-Ship. And staying in the Jump City Bat Cave was downright depressing. Now he understood why Dick was so weird and introverted.

Back on the Batwing Batman confirmed his suspicions. He flipped a switch and opened an encrypted intercom channel between the two aircraft. This news could not wait for their arrival at the Bat Cave.

"Batman to T-Ship. Do read me?"

"T-Ship here." Bumblebee replied. "You're coming in loud and clear."

"Good. Now that I have everyone online I have some news to share. While we were prowling around Slade's hideout an inter-dimensional portal was opened. After triangulating with the sensors in the Bat Cave I localized it to Slade's lair. Terra left just before we arrived."

The news hit the team like a bucket of ice water. The Titans knew that Beast Boy and Raven were in danger and felt powerless to help. Nightwing had tried to contact The Herald but received no reply. He also sent him an encrypted text message and hoped that The Herald would eventually receive it. Without his help they were dead in the water.

As they flew over Jump City Starfire was able to make out the old Tower's silhouette as the sun was setting. She stared at it sadly, wondering how things could have gone so wrong for them so quickly. A tear streamed down her cheek as she recalled all the happy times she shared there with her friends, especially with Beast Boy and Raven, who were now in great peril. She whispered a silent prayer to X'Hal imploring the Tamaranian goddess to keep her friends safe.

The aircraft landed in the Jump City at Cave without any incident and the Titans slowly emerged from the aircraft along with Batman and Robin. Cyborg felt his stomach rumble and realize that they hadn't eaten since breakfast.

"Hey, y'all. How about I whip up some of my patented spaghetti for dinner!" he enthused, hoping to take everyone's mind off their predicament.

"It's OK Cyborg, I already prepared dinner." A voice called out from the kitchen section of the Bat Cave.

Everyone turned towards the source of the voice, which none of them recognized right away. Nightwing was the first to make the connection. It was The Herald.

"Friend, you have come to help us in our time of need!" Starfire bubbled.

"Sure thing" he replied "I can get us to Azarath. Piece of cake."

The Titans all milled around The Herald, eating as they brought him up to speed on the situation. Bruce knew that Teens could eat quickly, but as far as he could tell the Titans were setting a world record. After they were done they gathered around the Dark Knight to review the plan of action.

_**-( - )-**_

Beast Boy also saw Terra outside the window and wasted no time in morphing. He immediately took on the form of a velociraptor and roared viciously. Raven had already taken the initiative and launched an attack. Using her dark energy she shielded herself as she crashed through the window after which she shot bursts of dark energy at Terra, who was barely able to dodge them. She heard a shrieking sound to her left and turned just in time to see a green orangutan slam into her, knocking her off her perch, falling from a height of over 700 feet. He pummeled her with all his might, oblivious of the rapidly approaching street below. Raven swooped after them, catching the pair with her obsidian magic just moments before they crashed into the sidewalk. As she deposited them on the ground Gar morphed back into his human form, panting with his fists drenched in Terra's blood. The Geomancer's face was a mess and she was sobbing.

"What the hell is wrong with you Terra?! Why won't you leave us alone?" Beast Boy screamed at her.

Terra raised her arm in a futile defensive gesture as she cried out "BB, don't hurt me, please don't hurt me anymore."

Raven stood behind Gar and was surprised at what she was feeling from Terra. It wasn't just fear, she felt waves of remorse. Beast Boy then did something that caught Raven by surprise. He morphed into a clone of the Chrysalis eating monster and raised one of his claws to finish Terra off once and for all. She closed her eyes and offered no resistance, as if accepting what was about to happen.

"GAARRR! STOP!" Raven screamed and without thinking used the black magic that Malchior had once taught her and forcefully morphed her husband back into his human form. Beast Boy stood still before falling to his knees, and began to weep, unable to believe what he had almost done. Terra sat up and hugged him, burying her face into his chest, murmuring repeatedly "I'm so sorry" and "Please forgive me". As she released him he noticed that his white cassock was covered in her blood. Raven stepped forward and examined Terra's face.

"Don't move, this might sting" she warned Terra as she began to heal her facial wounds. After a few minutes the bleeding had stopped. Terra sat up again, with a grateful look on her face.

"Care to explain what you're doing here?" Raven asked crossly.

"You're in danger. Some very wealthy people want both of you dead."

"Tell us something we don't know" Beast Boy snarled "We also know they were going to bring you here to kill us."

"I know, I know." Terra replied between sobs. "But I can't do it. I can't harm you. I came to protect you."

"Forgive me for being skeptical, but the last time we met you were on the wrong side of a pistol. Had it not been for Starfire I would be dead now." Raven remarked in an irritated voice.

Terra nodded her head. "I know. I don't blame you for not believing me."

Gar spoke up. "You didn't fight back." He remarked as he removed the thermal blaster from her wrist.

"This has been fired!" he exclaimed.

"Yes, I shot a woman named Ragithra. She was coordinating the mission to kill both of you. I was supposed to be working for her."

Raven gasped. "Ragithra is the head of the Matriarch's security forces."

By this time a crowd was forming around them and Raven saw several of the tall warriors approach.

"We need to get out of here."

She drew closer to Terra and Beast Boy and sweeping her cape around them; she then teleported the three back to their apartment. Once there she ran to the terminal in the study, and within a minute she confirmed what Terra had told her. Terra was accused of murdering Ragithra and the security forces were trying to apprehend her. Gar watched over her shoulder and seen the same screens.

"So what do we do now Rave? I don't trust her."

"Neither do I Gar. But if we throw her out they will get her."

"I say let them. At least they'll be busy with her and not us. Plus she can fight back."

Gar's words cut into Terra's heart like a dagger. He had always forgiven her in the past, but now she had gone too far. She had earned his hatred. But things were about the get even stranger.

"No Gar, we can't do that. I'll just send her back to Earth."

"No! Don't do that Raven! I came here to protect both of you. Really, it's true."

The apartment's main door burst open. It was Ariand'r and several Tamaranian warriors.

"I see you have the situation under control. Would you like us to take the intruder into custody?"

"Yes" Beast Boy replied "But be very careful. She's a Geomancer and is very treacherous."

"I agree. We need to discuss this with mother. Make sure she's under watch at all times."

Terra surrendered the rest of her weapons to Beast Boy and left with the Tamaranians for the tower dungeon. Raven was on the phone, summoning housekeeping to repair the shattered window.

"You'd better get changed Gar, you're covered in blood."

Beast Boy looked in a mirror and grimaced.

"What happened to me Rae? I was ready to kill her." He said dejectedly.

She helped him to undress and pulled another cassock out of the closet for him. She recognized that he was in a state of shock as she had to dress him.

"Sit down Gar, and close your eyes. Relax. I'm going to do a little trick to help you feel better."

He obeyed, sitting down on the couch and replied "OK, I'm ready."

Raven placed her hand on his forehead and within seconds was asleep. She kissed him softly before heading to the data console. She picked up a handset and punched in a few numbers.

"Mother? Yes it's me. Would you mind coming down to our apartment. Yes, I know, but it's important. It's OK, you don't have rush. We'll wait for you to get ready."

Raven placed the handset back in its cradle and sat down next to Gar who was still asleep, cradling his hand in hers. She had never seen him so fierce, so full of anger. Not even when he had been affected by those chemicals that transformed him into the Beast. Maybe he was right and they should not trust Terra.

Would life ever be normal for them? Just ten minutes ago she was going to ask him to come to bed and make love with her. Instead he was sitting next to her on the couch in a healing trance, their window was shattered and Terra was in the dungeon. She cradled her head in her hands. She sighed and closed her eyes for a few minutes, until she felt a hand on her shoulder. Gar had woken from his trance and was looking at her.

"Are you OK? I wish there was something I could do to make you feel better."

"Ask me again later when we go to bed." She replied with a weak smile as maintenance arrived to repair the window. "But we need to get ready. Mother is coming down to see us."

_**-( - )-**_

"So what's the plan Bruce?" Nightwing asked.

"We are going into a potentially hostile environment where we will stand out like sore thumbs. We are ignorant of the culture and its customs. We won't have any backup support. If we become separated from The Herald we will find ourselves stranded. And on top of that we don't know how to locate Raven and Beast Boy."

"Sounds like another day at the office" Cyborg joked.

"As if." Batman replied. "First order of business is that under no conditions can The Herald be captured." He turned towards the trumpet bearing hero. "If I tell you to escape, you will leave us. You can always regroup to rescue others later."

"I got it."

"And Mas Y Menos, I want you to use your speed to explore the city and find out whatever you can. Starfire and Bumblebee, I want you to try and find Arella's tower. Cyborg, I want you to set up a listening outpost. I want you to eavesdrop on every bit of electronic communication out there. Nightwing, Robin and I will search for Terra."

The team nodded in agreement, and he dismissed them. They had 15 minutes to prepare for their journey. They packed lightweight essential supplies and gathered in the main hall in the Bat Cave.

"We are all ready. Herald, you may proceed."

The Herald raised his trumpet to his lips and blew. A dark portal appeared before them and Batman stepped into it, followed by the others.


	17. Chapter 17

Slade was sitting at his desk in his office in Jump City. It was a large corner office on the top floor of one of the main towers in the downtown district. His desk was a large and modern, made of the finest mahogany. The view from his office was breathtaking, an unobstructed view of the bay, with the old Titans Tower standing in the background, its arms spread wide as if welcoming visitors to California's jewel. But Slade's vision wasn't fixated on the bay, as he had his back to it. Instead his attention belonged to the image coming out of a holographic projector sitting on his desk.

"You never told us your agent was a psychopath."

Slade tapped the fingers of his right hand impatiently on the desktop as he watched the obese woman rant and rave. She was practically apoplectic; he could even see the veins throb on her forehead.

"She blew Ragithra's torso completely off her body. Didn't you tell her who she's working for!"

Something had happened with Terra. Slade knew she could be unpredictable, but this was unprecedented, even for her. He knew that sending her to kill the changeling had its risks, after all that had been his undoing the last time he had tried to use her for that very same purpose. Still, he had hoped that the chance to eliminate Raven would be sufficient motivation to complete the mission. Apparently he had failed in detaching her from her fixation with the boy.

"… and witnesses say that she was overpowered and captured by the boy. You said she would be able to easily defeat them…"

That confirmed Slade's suspicions. Given the element of surprise Terra should have been able to take them down. To lose to Beast Boy meant only one thing. She didn't fight them. Slade had lost her… again.

"So what are you going to do about this Slade?!" Mayra screamed at him. "The elections are next week. We cannot allow Raven to be elected. It will be the end of the Matriarchal Rule. Arella has already publicly embraced monoism! This has to be dealt with NOW!"

Slade tapped his fingers against each other, pondering his options. He could tell Mayra to get lost, but that would mean forfeiting the $100 million dollar bounty, which he desperately needed. He had tried to secure a line of credit through local banks, but none would even talk to him. Apparently not everyone had forgotten his past. And word got out about his predicament. Contractors were demanding to be paid in cash up front. At this pace he would run out of money in just 2 more weeks. The first vultures had made their appearances as well. Lex Luthor offered to invest enough money to finish the factory, in exchange for 90% ownership. This after Slade over $1 billion so far. Slade already knew what he had to do.

"I will come myself to finish the job. Do not worry. Raven will never wear the Mayor's sash."

"I hope so Slade, for your sake. If you fail you will not be returned to Earth." Mayra severed the link, leaving Slade alone in his office.

_Then I had better not fail._

_**-( - )-**_

Arella arrived abruptly at the Logan's apartment. She was flanked by 10 Tamaranians who were tense and vigilant.

"She's in the dungeon?" Arella asked.

"Yes mother, but I don't see how or why."

"What do you mean, child?"

Raven flinched at being addressed that way, but said nothing. Beast Boy replied for her.

"She didn't even fight back. She just let me beat her up. I would have killed her if Raven hadn't stopped me. And the dungeon, there's no way she couldn't get out if she wanted to."

"So what are you saying Garfield?" Arella seemed puzzled.

"I'm not sure. She had a chance to kill us; she could have taken us by surprise. Maybe she didn't come to hurt us."

"Gar, don't let her trick you again." Raven warned him in a low voice.

"I know, I know. But it just doesn't seem right." He replied. "I need to go talk with her. Alone."

"No Gar, no way. You're not going down there alone. She's far too dangerous."

"No Raven, you can't come. I have to see her alone. It's the only way."

Arella saw a look on Raven's face she hadn't seen in a long time. It was fear.

"At least take some Tamaranians with you." Raven implored.

"If she really wants to hurt me they won't make any difference." He replied. "I'll be back". He motioned to one of the Tamaranians to lead him to her cell.

As Arella held her daughter's hand, Raven looked up at her mother, the worry evident in her eyes.

"Come on." She told her daughter "We aren't letting him go alone!"

_**-( - )-**_

The Titans emerged from The Herald's portal into a deserted street. It was nighttime and without a point of reference there was no way to know what the hour was, but judging by the lack of pedestrians it had to be early in the morning. The team realized just how exposed they were. If anyone was watching, they knew that the Titans had arrived.

"OK, let's split up as planned before we're discovered." Batman commanded.

Starfire and Bumblebee took to the sky. As they rose above the city's skyline they became aware of the city's limited size and quickly identified its main towers. Once this was done they began a sweep of each section of the city, focusing on the towers in each sector. The task proved difficult as none of the buildings had any sort of markings. After they had completed the sweep they were no closer to identifying the Roth Tower than they were when they began.

Cyborg was faring no better. There were absolutely no radio waves to be detected. He kept changing the spectral range he scanned but found nothing. He felt as if he were blind. The Herald stayed with him since Cyborg's position was the rendezvous point for the team.

Eventually everyone returned to the rendezvous point empty handed. Mas Y Menos had run up and down every street and were unable to learn anything useful. Batman, Nightwing and Robin were just as stumped.

"Isn't there anyone here?" Robin questioned.

No sooner than he asked his question 2 dozen figures swooped down from the sky.

"Do not move, you are under arrest!" A female voice ordered them.

_**-( - )-**_

Beast Boy was led to the dungeon area by the Tamaranian sentry, who left him at the entrance by his order. The dungeon was dark and damp, just like the dungeons in the movies. Beast Boy morphed into a lemur, availing himself to the creature's superb night vision. He quickly explored the area until he found Terra's cell. She was asleep on a small cot, facing away from the entrance. Beast Boy opened the door and entered the cell.

"Terra? Are you awake?"

The Geomancer woke with a start and leaped to her feet in a battle stance. Beast Boy was startled and stepped back, tripping on the uneven surface and fell on his back.

Raven and Arella were watching everything from a few rooms away via closed circuit TV. As Gar fell down Raven leaped to her feet and began to run to his aid, until she felt Arella's strong grip on her wrist.

"_Wait!" her mother ordered. "He's not in danger."_

"BB! Its you!" Terra dropped out of fighting stance and ran to him. "Are you OK?" She grabbed a hand and lifted him up to his feet.

Arella could hear Raven's teeth grind as they both saw Terra hug Beast Boy and kiss him on the cheek.

"Whoa! Wait a minute Terra, what gives?"

Terra released him and dropped her head. "Can't I be glad to see you?"

Beast Boy frowned. "The last time we talked you told me to go away, to forget you, remember?"

"That was a long time ago." She murmured.

Beast Boy crossed his arms. "What do you want Terra? Why are you here? We were told that you were hired to murder us. So why am I not dead?"

"See child, you worry too much. He might have been her lover once, but he is loyal to you now."

"He was never her lover!" Raven hissed. "He was still a virgin on our wedding night!"

"As were you I trust."

Raven glared at her mother "He's never even kissed her, at least not on the lips." She mumbled.

"Because I came to protect you BB. There are some crazy women who want you and Raven dead really bad!"

"How bad?"

"One hundred million dollars bad! They're paying Slade to do this. He told me that if I refused the mission someone else would be sent, so I figured I'd pretend to accept the mission and buy us some time."

"Ok, hold it right there. Why are you doing this?"

"To protect you, silly."

"Yeah, but why? I thought you hated us Terra, especially Raven."

"I don't hate you, I never hated you." She answered softly.

"You coulda fooled me!" He snapped at her. "In case you've forgotten you tried to kill me once."

Terra began to tear up "I know." She said in a choked up voice. "I thought you had forgiven me for that."

"So did I. Until you tried to shoot Raven at the news conference. I want to trust you Terra, but I can't. There's this voice in the back of my head that says 'run away as fast as you can' and it won't shut up."

Terra dropped to her knees. "Then go ahead and kill me Beast Boy, because if you are right then I'm very dangerous."

"No! Not again!" Raven rose to her feet once again and Arella pulled her back down.

"Give him some credit, my dear." Her mother soothed her.

"You know I can't do that Terra." Beast Boy responded.

"Beast Boy, I swear to protect both of you, even if it were to cost me my own life."

"Terra, now you're creeping me out. This obsession isn't good for you, its messing with your mind."

Terra shook her head "No, it's not like that BB. I know your heart belongs to Raven."

Beast Boy just shook his head. He knew he would never understand what made Terra tick.

"Terra, why don't you just go home? Raven can open a portal to send you back. We can give you some money so you can disappear and Slade will never find you."

"No BB, they're going to send for others and I can't just step aside while they come to hurt you."

Beast Boy stared at the girl he once loved. He was no psychiatrist, but he could tell she wasn't playing with a full deck. And it was absurd to have her locked up in a primitive cell. It might as well be a sofa cushion fort.

"Fine. C'mon let's go. Arella should have a room somewhere for you."

"Oh BB, thanks!" She hugged him again, but he pushed her away.

"Please Terra, don't do that. It makes me feel uncomfortable."

She nodded sadly and quietly followed him out of the dungeon, much to the surprise of the Tamaranian sentries who guarded the dungeon's entrance.


	18. Chapter 18

"I said do not move!"

Batman and the Titans did not take kindly to the orders being barked at them. They had already adopted their fighting stances. Cyborg activated his sonic canon and his miniature guided missiles. The Herald had his trumpet in place, ready to open portals into other dimensions. Mas y Menos had their hands joined, ready to bolt at their hyper speed. Batman, Robin and Nightwing had armed themselves with batarangs, bombs and other gadgets. Bumblebee had her stingers in hand, fully charged.

But Starfire for some reason was especially peeved. She levitated into the air above her teammates, her eyes glowing bright green. Her face was consumed with rage.

"NO! It is you who will surrender!" She thundered as she conjured a pair of extra large star bolts, one in each hand.

The light from the still unused star bolts lit up the street, revealing their opponents stunned faces, who were no longer shrouded in the shadows.

"Your highness! Please forgive us! We did not know it was you!" Their leader pleaded, dropping to a knee. She was promptly mimicked by the rest of her platoon.

"Arianda? Arianda!" Starfire swooped down towards the warrior, her anger gone and replaced with a smile while her star bolts evaporated. "What are you doing here?"

"We have been sent to protect the Lady Raven and Lord Garfield." She replied.

"Lady Raven, Lord Garfield?" Nightwing asked incredulously "Since when are they royalty?"

Starfire smiled. "On Tamaran those titles are given to anyone of importance. It does not mean they are of Royal Blood as it would on Earth."

Starfire took Arianda's hands and lifted her to her feet. She then gave her one of her trademark bone crushing hugs, which didn't seem to affect the Tamaranian warrior as much as it would have her human friends.

"Friends! This is Arianda. She and I have been best friends since childhood. Her father was the chief of the palace guard when I was a little girl."

The Titans mumbled greetings to the warrior, after which she led her to Nightwing.

"Arianda, this is my betrothed, Richard Grayson, also known as Nightwing."

Once again the Tamaranians bent their knees, this time to Nightwing, who was clearly uncomfortable with the gesture.

"I am honored to serve you, my prince." Arianda intoned, staring at the floor. Dick saw Batman and Robin out of the corner of his eye. They both wore huge grins and looked as if they were about to break out laughing.

_Don't you dare! _He glared at them

Arianda rose to her feet and approached Starfire. She whispered to her "Forgive me Koriand'r, but in Tamaran it was said that you were being courted by the one called 'Robin'. Have you a new suitor?"

Starfire giggled and explained the situation to Arianda, who looked first to Robin and then to Nightwing.

"I see. I was confused. The new Robin is still a child, and is smaller than the Robin who escorted you to Tamaran."

Starfire giggled again. "Arianda, will you take us to Raven and Garfield?"

"Yes, highness, but we must fly. We are not the city's official security force. We serve the Lady Arella, who is at odds with her fellow matriarchs. They hired an assassin to .."

"Yes, we know, Terra. Where is she?"

"In the Tower dungeon. She surrendered to Lord Garfield. Apparently she did not come to harm them after all."

"We'll be the judges of that!" Nightwing interrupted.

"Of course my prince. But Miss Terra has warned that other assassins will soon follow her. We have been watching for portals and when you arrived we believed you to be those assassins."

Batman stepped forward. "We need you to take us to the tower immediately. Other than Starfire and this young lady none of us can fly."

"Of course, my warriors will escort you. On your command your highness."

Starfire nodded "Let us make with the haste."

_**-( - )-**_

Once again Raven jumped to her feet, clearly alarmed. "Where is he taking her?"

Beast Boy walked up to the sentry and spoke with her. She turned to a communication console, picked up the handset and punched in a few numbers as Beast Boy turned to what was supposed to be the hidden camera and waved.

"Oh Azar, he knows we were watching. He's gonna be so pissed."

"He doesn't look angry" Arella replied as the mini console chirped. She picked up the handset.

"Yes, I see, yes, go ahead." She hung up.

"He's bringing her here."

The hairs on the back of Raven's neck stood up. He understood why he was bringing her up, but that didn't change anything. As they walked in Raven's entire body was completely encased in dark energy and her eyes glowed black. Arella watched her daughter with wary eyes.

"It's Terra you should be afraid of, not me!" Raven howled.

Garfield walked up to his wife and hugged her, piercing through her shroud of obsidian light. She felt the pain it caused him and released the shroud, reabsorbing it into her body. He kissed her tenderly and she returned his affection. Terra watched, not entirely dispassionately. Her longing for Beast Boy stirred in her heart and Raven felt it. She released Gar and addressed the Geomancer.

"Terra, I know how you feel, how you feel right now."

Terra turned away from her.

"It isn't easy, but I promise to not come between you and BB."

Raven sensed the sincerity from Terra, but she had fooled her once before.

"Terra, our life here is already complicated as it is. I'm going to send you back to Earth…"

"No Raven, don't, I need to be here. Either Slade or someone else is going to come."

"Well that's just wonderful. Slade in Azarath!" Raven moaned as she rubbed her forehead.

"Rae, you look tired. Maybe we should call it a night."

Raven leaned against Gar, resting her head on his shoulder. "Don't forget to ask me…" she whispered.

"I know." He answered. He was also tired, but being young definitely had it advantages.

Arella was reading them like a book. "Why don't you go ahead and retire, I already called housekeeping and they are preparing a room…"

The sound of several pairs of feet walking were heard coming down the hall. A golden haired Tamaranian warrior came around the corner first. Beast Boy had told Raven earlier that non-royal Tamaranians all looked alike, which earned him an elbow in his ribs. Raven recognized the warrior. Beast Boy did recognize the other Tamaranian walking behind her.

"Star?!"

Starfire grinned and flew over to her dear friends, smothering them in hugs and kisses. Once she released them they could see she hadn't come alone.

"Yo, B! Nice outfit! Did they also teach you to chant?"

"Shut up Cy!" Beast Boy feigned anger as he ran to hug his friend. The other Titans surrounded the couple, and more hugs were exchanged. Batman and Robin stood back, studying the room and its occupants, especially Terra, who had also noticed them and was watching them nervously.

"I can't believe you guys are here!" Gar shouted.

In all the commotion none of the Titans noticed that Terra was standing next to Arella.

"Hi guys." She greeted them meekly.

The room became deathly silent as all eyes were now focused on Terra.

"Boy, talk about your awkward moments." Terra tried to break the ice.

Starfire silently walked up to Terra and back fisted her across the face so hard that she sent her flying.

"That's for trying to kill my friend." Nightwing had never heard her voice so icy and devoid of emotion.

Terra grimaced in pain and didn't get up. Raven approached and examined her.

"You broke her jaw Star." She said as she began to heal Terra.

"That's all? I should have hit her harder."

"You would have killed her" Raven replied.

"As you humans would say 'Gee, too bad', right?"

Nightwing put his arm around her waist and led her away. Cyborg stood silently, but his half human face said it all. He was glad Starfire had socked the geomancer and also wished she hadn't held back.

Terra stood up, rubbing her still very sore jaw. "Thanks Raven, I owe you one." She then heard a deep and intimidating voice behind her. She spun around, wide eyed, staring into Batman's face.

"Young lady, we need to talk."

Terra gulped. Batman was even more intimidating than Slade had described. Hell, he was even more intimidating than Slade.

"Y-yes sir."

"How do we know we can trust you?" he asked.

Terra gulped again before answering. "You don't, either you trust me, or you don't."

"And what if we don't?" he asked menacingly.

Terra held her head high and summoned all her courage. "Then tough, cuz I'm not leaving! Not until I know BB and Raven are safe."

"Since when do you care about Raven?" Cyborg accused her.

Batman held up his hand and Cyborg fell silent.

"Tell me everything you know about Slade." The Dark Knight ordered.

Arella slid up next to her son–in-law, who she could tell was clearly in awe of the tall man with the cowl and cape.

"Garfield, who is that man? I've never seen a man as intimidating as him." She asked Gar.

He replied almost breathlessly "He's Batman"

_**-( - )-**_

Batman interrogated Terra for over an hour and she spilled the beans on Slade. All his bases, aliases, the number of SladeBots, what super weapons he had developed, everything. After he was done Raven offered to put her into a healing trance to finish repairing her jaw, which still hurt like hell. Raven had an ulterior motive for the trance. She would put Terra to sleep for several hours, allowing everyone else to rest without worrying about the Geomancer. Terra was led to a simple guest room where she laid down on a bed. Raven invoked the strongest healing trance possible and Terra fell into a deep sleep. She predicted that Terra would be out for at least ten hours. Arianda decided to leave four warriors to watch over her, in case she woke prematurely.

Arella had summoned housekeeping earlier to prepare rooms for the new guests. The stress of the day had taken its toll on the Titans and they were ready to rest. They all bid each other a good night. As Raven hugged Starfire she whispered "Thanks, I wanted to do that, but couldn't bring myself to do it". Starfire smiled back "My pleasure".

After that they were all escorted to their rooms. Arella accompanied the Logans to their apartment. She then kissed both Raven and Gar goodnight and left for her apartment, with her bodyguards in tow.

Gar opened the door and scanned the apartment. The broken window had already been replaced and there was no sign of the mess that had been left behind. Even the opened bottle of bubbly was replaced with a fresh, unopened one. Garfield gestured at the bottle and Raven shook her head. He removed it from the chilling bucket and shoved it into the fridge. As he walked back into the living room she took his hand and led him to the bedroom, where they embraced, finally in private and began to kiss. Beast Boy loosened his embrace and looked up into her eyes, with a slightly forlorn look on his face.

"What's the matter, Gar?"

"Nothing, just something dumb."

She looked into his eyes, raising a single eyebrow.

"OK, if you really want to know, I wish I wasn't shorter than you."

"That's it?"

"I told you it was stupid."

Without saying a word Raven let go of her husband and walked to the side of the bed, where she stripped completely. She pulled the bed covers back and slipped in. Turning to face Beast Boy she patted the bed with her palm, inviting him to join her. He didn't need to be asked twice, and in no time flat he also stripped naked and was under covers next to his beloved wife. She smiled at him and reached over him to turn off the light. As she did, she whispered in his ear.

"Believe me Gar; you've got it where it counts."


	19. Chapter 19

Raven was running frantically through the dark cavern, barely able to see where she was going. She tripped and fell, dropping her tiny flashlight. Scrambling to her feet she picked it up and continued running. She was beginning to panic. Where was he?

The path she followed reached a dead end, blocked by a huge metal door. She stopped in front of it, panting, almost hyperventilating. What was that? She pressed her ear against the door listening carefully. She heard something, a voice. It had to be him. She pounded on the door with her small fists, but the door didn't yield. She debated whether or not to send her soul self beyond the door, but decided against it. Instead she levitated and while focusing with ever fiber in her body she screamed her mantra.

"Azarath, Metrion, Zinthos!"

The door was encased in obsidian light and was peeled off the entry way like a banana peel. Raven swooped through the entrance, flying as fast as she could. The voice was louder, but still unintelligible. There was a strong smell of sulfur in the air and it stung her eyes as she dove deeper into the bowels of the cavern.

"Gar! Where are you? " She wailed as she continued her descent into the cavern. "Answer me!"

Finally, she heard a reply. It was weak and distant, but it was him.

"Raven, help me!" he called weakly. He sounded very far away.

Raven's heart began to pound like a jackhammer in her chest. Tears were streaming down her checks. "I'm coming Gar, I'm coming!" She screamed as continued her dive into the cave. After what felt like an eternity she flew into a large cavern with a dome. The smell of sulfur was overwhelming, making her eyes water. The bottom of the cavern was a lake of lava with a small mesa like island in the middle.

What Raven saw on the island made her heart freeze.

Beast Boy was on his back, pinned to the ground by what looked like arms and hands of stone. He was completely immobilized. He tried morphing to break free of his restraints, but they adapted as fast as he could change. He was hopelessly trapped, unable to escape. And standing above him was Terra, her hands on her narrow hips, laughing at him.

"Raven, help me!" Gar's voice trembled with fear.

Raven dove down to the island, straight to her husband. Before she could reach him more stony arms reached out and captured her. She tried to free herself, but wasn't able to. Terra had trapped her as well, just a few yards from where Gar remained restrained.

"Glad you could make it Raven! I saved a front row seat just for you!"

"What do you want Terra?" Raven snarled.

"What do you think?" she sneered back as she gazed lovingly at Beast Boy.

"You're insane Terra, just insane!" Raven howled "Let us go!"

"Now why would I do that Raven?" she replied. Terra extended her hand over a pile of gravel, which levitated and formed into a spear, aimed directly at Beast Boy's heart. His eyes grew wide. "Terra, no, please!" he implored.

The Geomancer swaggered over to Raven, taking the demoness's chin in her hand.

"If I can't have him, no one can!"

Raven began to tear up. "Terra, you can't be serious! He's my husband."

Terra grinned wickedly. "Then give him up. If you really love him, you'll give him to me."

Raven began to hyperventilate. "What's the matter Raven? Freaking out?"

Raven switched to sobbing. Terra continued grinning, savoring the moment.

"What's your answer Raven? Or how about I throw him into the lava pit below instead?"

"No Terra! For the love of Azar! Please don't hurt him!"

Terra released Raven's chin.

"Well Raven?"

Raven dropped her head, conceding defeat. "He's yours."

Terra smiled. "Good girl! See, you can be taught who the boss is."

Terra walked over towards Beast Boy, kneeling down next to him.

"So lover, are you ready for a real woman?"

Beast Boy spat in her face. "Go frak yourself Terra! I don't love you!"

Terra calmly stood up, wiping the spittle from her face.

"That's too bad BB. We would have made a great couple."

She gestured with both arms, making a swinging motion towards Beast Boy. The spear came alive and flew forward, burying itself deep in Beast Boy's chest, destroying his heart. He howled in pain, and then fell silent as a pool of blood formed around him.

_**-( - )-**_

Raven jolted awake, her body shaking so violently that she woke Beast Boy from a deep sleep. She rolled over to face him, wrapping her arms around him and stroking him, as if checking that he was indeed real and not an illusion. Once she was satisfied that he was real she buried her face in his chest and began to wail.

As Gar finished waking up he understood what had happened. He wrapped his arms around her, pulling them together. He could feel her heart pounding as their chests came together. He slowly soothed her, gently caressing her bare back while whispering soothing words into her ear. Eventually her heartbeat slowed, until it beat in rhythm with his.

"Bad nightmare?"

"You have no idea." She said breathlessly, between kisses while she caressed his face.

The two lovers fell silent, content to be in each other's embrace, their souls and bodies were as one. Soon they were both asleep, this time their dreams were peaceful as they rested in each other's arms.

_**-( - )-**_

Slade was once again in his office. The holographic projector sat idle in front of him on his unusually cluttered desk while he tapped his fingers impatiently on the mahogany desktop. The Azarathians were two hours late with the follow up information they had promised him and he didn't like to be kept waiting. Word had reached him of the sudden arrival of a group of outsiders in Azarath. He had a good idea of who they probably were, but wanted to be sure before leaving for Azarath. Without any warning the projector came to life, displaying Mayra's figure. It was about time.

"Hello Mayra. Do you have it?"

"All we have is this still image captured by a security camera. I'm transmitting it now."

The color laser printer in the corner began to warm up and it produced a hardcopy of the photograph Mayra had just sent. Slade picked it up and studied it for a minute.

"This complicates matters. I will need to bring some associates to deal with this."

"Just do what it takes Slade. We want this problem dealt with immediately."

"Ah, that's where the problem lies. There's a matter of extra cost to deal with this expanded problem."

"How much more Slade?" She asked in an irritated voice.

"I'm afraid that that my fee will be doubled." He replied in his calm monotone voice.

Slade could see the irritation on her face over the low resolution holographic interface. Mayra lingered for a minute before answering him.

"How many associates, and can you keep them under control this time?" her voice betrayed her annoyance with the situation.

"Just two and I guarantee that they will deliver."

Mayra nodded "Very well Slade, but I warn you, we won't tolerate failure."

_**-( - )-**_

The alarm clock shrieked, violating the peaceful atmosphere in the room. A slender female arm emerged from under the covers and shut it off. She snuggled up next to her bedmate, kissing him tenderly on the lips, gently rousing him from his slumber. He smiled sleepily and returned her kiss. Even though they had only slept for a few hours he felt refreshed.

She emerged from the bed first, her silk pajamas shone in the early morning light. She yawned and stretched, savoring the morning. Extending her hand to him she pulled his lazy frame out of the bed, while greeting him with a radiant smile.

"Hurry Richard, we will be late for breakfast!"

He yawned again. "You can shower first, unless you want to share." He asked, already knowing the answer.

"Not until we are married, my betrothed! And if Galfore knew that we slumbered together he would be most upset. If we showered together and he found out, well, it would be unpleasant."

He grinned at his goddess of a fiancé. "You can't blame me for trying."

"Just like you can't blame me for saying no." she replied. "Of course, this restriction, and others, can be easily removed."

Richard laughed, falling back on the bed. "As soon as this mess is resolved we'll head for Tamaran."

"Are you serious Richard?" she beamed.

"Star, I'd marry you today."

An ecstatic expression reigned over her face. "I will speak with Raven, perhaps she can arrange it."

"You serious?" he asked "Because I am."

"I am, but there is a problem. Unless we marry on Tamaran you won't become a member of the Royal Family."

He shrugged his shoulders "It's not important for me."

She sighed. "But it is for me."

"Really? Why?"

"You would not be considered my equal or my consort in the eyes of my people. I could not tolerate that kind of marriage Richard."

"I see. Well, couldn't we have a second wedding later on Tamaran?"

Starfire looked lost in thought for a moment.

"You are right! Why didn't I think of that?"

Richard shrugged his shoulders. "I dunno. You'd better get into that shower or we'll be late."

_**-( - )-**_

Starfire and Nightwing were among the first to arrive in the dining hall. Raven and Best Boy were already seated and partaking of their morning meal. Starfire sat next to Raven, unable to contain herself.

"Good morning Star. You look like you're about to burst." Raven greeted her friend with a smile.

"Oh Raven, I have news to share!" She lifted her hand to show Raven the Wayne engagement ring.

"Whoa! That's some ring! I guess this means Dick made his promise official"

"Yes my friend, but there is more!"

"More? What is it Star?"

Starfire giggled with delight, unable to contain herself.

"We wish to be married today!"

"Double whoa!" Raven teased her friend. "Are you sure? Do you want me to arrange it?"

"Oh yes, yes!" she enthused.

Raven grinned "I'll talk with mother after breakfast."

Raven's good mood ended when she saw the next person to enter the room.

It was Terra, accompanied by Batman and Robin. The trio approached the table and the Dark Knight began to speak.

"Terra's right. We need her to stay."

Raven's jaw almost hit the floor.

"Why?

"Robin and I need to return to Earth. We only came to help you capture Terra."

"I see" Raven said dejectedly. "But why must she stay? We can take on Slade, plus we have Bumblebee and Mas y Menos to help us."

"If it was just Slade, I would agree. But he will bring help with him."

"Really?" Beast Boy interrupted "Who?"

"There are several candidates. Dr. Light, The Hive, maybe even Brother Blood."

"Slade and Blood? Not good." Gar commented.

"Exactly, which is why Terra should stay."

Raven swallowed hard before continuing "But I don't trust her Batman, I just don't. She's hurt us too many times."

"I understand, but in this case the rewards outweigh the risk. The choice is yours Raven. If it helps, I believe she is being sincere in wanting to help. I have been able to verify everything she has told me about Slade."

Raven looked unhappy, but she knew Batman was right. "Ok, she can stay. I hope I don't end up regretting this."

"You won't Raven. I swear." The Geomancer promised.

Beast Boy wasn't an empath, but he could tell that Raven was feeling unsure. He slipped his hand into hers and gave it a squeeze. She returned his gesture.

Terra stepped away with Batman and Robin and they were seated at another table.

Starfire took Raven's other hand in hers. "Do not be upset, dear friend. I have a present for you. I was saving it for later, but perhaps you could use it now."

Starfire produced a small ring box, which she gave to Raven, who opened it. It contained two wedding bands. One was encrusted with small emeralds and the other with tiny amethyst stones. Raven was mesmerized with their simple beauty. She removed the smaller one, obviously hers, and examined it. It had the emeralds all around it, on the inside it had 'Garfield' and their wedding date inscribed. The amethyst ring had her name engraved on the inside. She took Gar's left hand, kissed it and slipped the ring onto his finger. He did the same for her, after which they embraced and shared a tender kiss. Raven then turned to the princess.

"Thanks, Starfire. When did you get these?"

Star smiled sheepishly.

"When you were recovering from your wounds I saw how Beast Boy tended to you and how you reacted to his attention. I realized then that you both had the 'true love' for each other. When I saw the rings the next day when I was shopping downtown, I knew that the two of you were meant to be. Of course I had the wedding date engraved later."

Raven looked like she was about to cry when she hugged her alien friend. "Thank you. I really am fortunate to have met you, Starfire."

"As am I, dear friend."


	20. Chapter 20

The mayor paced nervously around his office, oblivious to the view out of his window. The police commissioner was seated in front of the mayor's desk and had a stack of papers in his hands. No doubt he came to bring the mayor more bad news. The mayor pondered the situation. How could things have gone so wrong so quickly?

The post Titans honeymoon didn't last very long. It was only six weeks ago when they had departed, eventually appearing in Gotham. The first week after their departure was pure bliss. The gang bangers quit fighting each other and the police apprehended dozens of the thugs. They were only low level grunts, but the public didn't need to know that. What they did know was that virtually overnight the crime wave had ended, and not a day too soon. The mayor and the police were the toast of the town. Even the local super-villains were conspicuously absent. The local citizens felt safe enough to venture out again and within days the city had resumed its laid back California lifestyle.

The first crack in the foundation appeared during the second week when Mumbo robbed a bank and evaded capture. Two days later the Hive-5 robbed an armored car full of gold ingots and also escaped with their prize. By the end of the week the gangs began to venture out again. As the middle of the third week arrived the gangs controlled the streets again and the police were unable to contain the new wave of violence and crime. The mayor was unaware that Slade had been buying off the gangs and super villains to pull off his charade to get rid of the Titans. But once his cash flow from Arella was cut off the first thing to go were the payoffs. Without them the criminals decided they would pay themselves.

It was at this point that Mayor Kristoff swallowed his pride and called the governor to ask her to send in the National Guard. Unfortunately she was unable to meet his request as most of the California Guard had been called into active military service and was deployed overseas. The few guardsmen that remained were struggling to keep order in Los Angeles. Jump City would have to wait.

Things deteriorated even more during the following weeks. The police were so overwhelmed that officers were beginning to resign from the force, as some had been killed during the hopeless effort to regain control of the city. Commissioner Hazel no doubt had even more bad news in his stack of papers.

"Just lay it on me Roger, don't sugar coat it. How bad is it now?"

The Commissioner, Roger Hazel, set aside his reports and instead handed the mayor a copy of that morning's edition of the Jump City Herald. The front page headline said it all:

"_**Titans, please come back! We're sorry!"**_

The mayor threw the paper into a dustbin.

"It's a little too late for that now." He cursed.

_**-( - )-**_

Arella arrived late for breakfast that morning and was accompanied by Ria, the University's Dean. The Logans and the soon to be Graysons were the only diners still in the dining hall. Batman and Robin had already left for Jump City and the other Titans had returned to their rooms for a mid morning nap to catch up on their missed sleep from the night before. The two couples were eagerly discussing how to put together an impromptu wedding ceremony for that afternoon. As a Matriarch, Arella could perform the ceremony, and while she wasn't sure, Raven believed she could do it too. Starfire could not perform the ritual herself, as Raven had done with Gar, on account of her not being an Azarathian citizen.

Arella and Ria joined the two couples at their table. No sooner than they had been seated that several servers appeared to take their order. Arella ran an efficient household, her staff worked like a well oiled machine. Ria turned to the couples to greet them.

"Good morning your highness." She greeted Starfire first as she was no stranger to protocol. She then greeted Raven, Garfield and Nightwing as well.

"We have much to talk about and do today Raven." Ria announced, handing her a packed schedule which Raven looked upon with dismay.

"Yes, the campaign. We start today, right?"

"That's right Raven. First things first, you will have to sign these papers to make your candidacy official. Then we will meet with a stylist and a wardrobe designer to create your look for the campaign."

"You said all I had to do was belch and I would win, now I'm gonna need a makeover?" Raven said as she signed the papers.

"Better safe than sorry." Ria replied. The woman seemed to know a lot about politics, which wasn't surprising as it took some cunning to become the Dean at the University.

"I'm sorry but I don't want a makeover, and besides that I don't have any time for one today anyway."

"Why not child?" Arella asked her.

"Mother, would you please not call me 'child'. I know that I'll always be your baby, but I am a married adult woman you know."

"Ok, fair enough. But why don't you have time?"

"Gar and I will be busy preparing an impromptu wedding today for Star and Nightwing, that's why."

"Why didn't you tell me? I'll take care of everything. Now why don't you run along with Ria and get that makeover."

Raven realized that her mother wasn't going to back down. Plus, she really did need her help to organize the wedding. She would compromise, she decided. Maybe she was cut out to be a politician after all.

"Ok, I'll do the clothes, but no one touches my hair."

Ria quickly agreed, since that is what she really wanted anyway. She was concerned that Raven would campaign wearing what she was wearing at the moment: a cape and leotard. She was a little old for that and it didn't look 'mayoral' she thought. She, Raven and Gar were soon off once again to see Agnetha the tailor, who was armed with a book of the latest Azarathian fashions, which Gar thought all looked the same: cassocks and capes, but wisely kept his mouth shut. Before they knew it time had flown by and it was 4:30. One of Arella's butlers appeared.

"Mistress Arella says that it's time for you to come."

They excused themselves and left with the butler, who led them down a section of the tower they had not been in before, near the tower's base. They entered a large room that looked like a chapel. It was flanked by statues of monks and nuns, one of which Raven recognized, her old mentor Azar. In the middle of the temple their friends awaited.

Arella stood in the middle with Richard on her left and Starfire on her right. Everyone else stood around them, including Terra, who had her arms crossed, keeping her distance from Starfire. Arianda was also present, wearing her gala uniform. Arella motioned the Logans to approach. Beast Boy stood next to Richard while Raven took her place next to Starfire.

Arella cleared her throat. "I wish to apologize in advance. In order for this ceremony to be legal and binding its form cannot be changed. You Earthlings will find the ceremony to be short, dry and unromantic. It is our way on Azarath, and I do not have the authority to change it."

Richard and Starfire nodded their assent. Arella continued.

"You both understand that Azarathian marriages cannot be dissolved except by death and that there is a curse that will plague either of you if you are ever unfaithful to each other?"

Again they nodded.

"Then we shall begin."

First she addressed Starfire.

"Princess Koriand'r of Tamaran, do you wish to ask this man to marry you?"

"Yes" she replied.

"Richard Grayson of Earth, will you accept this woman's offer of marriage?"

"Yes" he replied.

She then led them to a small marble table, where a parchment was spread, just like the one they signed as witnesses to Raven and Beast Boy's wedding. They signed their names on it, followed by Raven and Gar who signed as witnesses. After they were done Arella signed it as the officiator. She then rolled up the parchment and handed it to Starfire.

"It is done. While our laws are strict regarding how weddings are performed, they are silent on how they are celebrated."

As she finished speaking two butlers opened a pair of double doors leading into a brightly lit ballroom, where a feast awaited them, including a traditional Earth style, tiered wedding cake.

"Come friends, let us celebrate!"

_-( - )-_

The party went on late into the night. As it was beginning to wind down Ria approached Raven, who whispered to Garfield: "It's 1:00 AM, what could she possibly want to discuss at this hour?"

Beast Boy had consumed a few glasses too many of bubbly, and he looked like he was ready to conk out.

"Raven, do you have a moment? There are a few issues I wish to discuss with you. It won't take more than 20 minutes. I promise."

"Sure. Gar, you don't have to stay, why don't you go home and rest? I'll catch up with you in a bit."

Beast Boy nodded sleepily and headed off to their apartment. Dick and Star had left a while ago, so there wasn't anything he was going to miss. It had been a pretty good party he thought as he walked down the hall towards the elevator. As he approached the lift he tripped, unable to recover his balance in his tipsy state. Before he fell he felt a hand grab his arm. Turning to see his rescuer he saw it was Terra.

"Gosh, BB, you're wasted!"

"Yeah, I had one too many. No wonder Raven sent me home." He chuckled.

"I'll walk you. I'm not sure you could make there on your own."

"Very funny Terra, I'm perfectly fine." He said as he tripped a second time and fell before Terra could catch him.

"M-M-Maybe not." He corrected himself.

"Come on." She ordered him, wrapping his arm around her neck as she lifted him. A few minutes later they were at the apartment door. Beast Boy extended his palm over the reader and the door slid open. Terra guided him in, and after turning on the lights deposited him on the couch, were he sat sprawled over it.

"Thanks Terra" he mumbled before falling asleep on the couch.

Terra sat down next to him, admiring him. She began to run her fingers through his hair. She was playing with fire, but didn't care. After a few minutes of caressing his scalp she bent over and sniffed it, taking in his aroma. It hadn't changed in years. She has always loved his unique aroma. She never told him, but it drove her wild. Had Slade not shown up that night at the amusement park, who knows what might have happened later that evening.

Throwing all caution to the wind she kissed his forehead repeatedly. She could feel her heart begin to race and kissed him on his cheek, faster and faster, until she stopped herself and pulled back. She stared at his face, the face she had always loved. He was now sound asleep and a thought crossed her mind. She knew that this would probably be the only chance she would ever have, and decided to go for it. She took his head into her hands and kissed him on the lips. At first she had planned on stealing a single kiss and then she would leave. But that's all it was, a plan. She kissed him repeatedly, but he did not wake, though he did reflexively kiss her back. She lost track of time, until her little piece of Heaven was shattered.

"TERRA! WHAT THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING!?" Raven shouted. She entered the apartment unnoticed.

Terra bolted up from the couch, tripping over the glass coffee table, falling on it and shattering it. She rolled away, got up and ran out the door, her face covered in her hands.

Raven looked at Gar, who had been roused by all the commotion.

"Rave, you're back." He mumbled as he looked around, still half asleep. "What happened to the table?" he asked.

"Terra" she replied crossly.

"Why'd she break it?" he asked, still sleepy. "I liked that table."

She took his hand and pulled him up. "I'll tell you in the morning. Now let's go to bed, I'm exhausted."

_**-( - )-**_

"So Laura, are you interested?" Slade asked the woman.

"I don't know Slade, Raven has become very powerful. Maybe we would all be better off if we left her on Azarath, and even better if the Titans stayed with her."

"You mean that $20 million and an opportunity for revenge aren't sufficient motivation?" he asked. "I can think of others who would do it for free."

"Then maybe you should ask them." She rebuked him.

"But you are the right woman for the job." He tempted her.

"What about your apprentice, the Geomancer? Why not send her? She hates the Titans doesn't she?"

"Sadly, she has betrayed me. She is in love with the changeling."

"I told you she couldn't be trusted, and didn't the boy marry Raven?" she said with a shudder.

Slade chuckled. "There is no accounting for taste, is there my dear Rouge? How about if I offer you 30 million?"

"Ok Slade, but don't ever tell The Brain of our arrangement. If he finds out he'll demand a percentage of my fee."

"You have my word, Laura. The Brain will never know about our arrangement."

_**-( - )-**_

The alarm clock rang without mercy, its piercing scream cut through his head like a hot knife through butter. He moaned as he sat up in bed, still blinded by the horrible shrill sound which without warning stopped.

"Are you feeling OK?" she asked.

"Did we get a new alarm clock? That thing could wake the dead." He replied.

"No, it's the same alarm clock we've always had. It's the one I had in my room back at Tower."

Beastboy cradled his head in his hands, still moaning, paying for last night's overindulgence at the wedding reception.

"What happened last night?"

"What do you think?" she replied angrily "You had too many glasses of wine."

"I know, but that's not what I meant. What happened in the living room? I heard a lot of noise and when I woke up the coffee table was broken. You said something about Terra."

Raven began to snicker, followed by full blown laughter. This worried Gar as he had never seen Raven laugh when Terra's name was mentioned.

"Uh Rae, why are you laughing? Usually whenever I mentioned her name, you frown."

Raven slowly got her laughter under control and once she had regained her composure she continued.

"Do you remember seeing her at all last night Gar?"

Beast Boy began to nervously rub the back of his neck. "Well, now that you mention it, she walked me home."

"So that's how she got in." she said, still smiling.

"Yeah, she dropped me on the couch. Why are you smiling, Rave? This can't be good. Did you send her to another dimension?"

Raven chuckled before continuing. "It's actually both pathetic and funny at the same time."

"Huh? What was she doing?"

"She was making out with you while you were passed out."

"OK, I'll assume that was the pathetic part. What's the funny part?"

Raven chuckled again "When I caught her red handed she tried to bolt, she tripped on the coffee table and fell on it, smashing it to bits."

Beast Boy snickered before groaning "Ow! My head."

Raven handed him a small bottle of ibuprophen, and now her expression was stern.

"Gar, I'm a little worried about you. You might have a problem."

Beast Boy was still sitting up in bed and looked up into her amethyst eyes. They weren't angry. Instead he saw an emotion that was rare for her: concern.

"Whaddya mean Rave?" he asked, knowing well what she had meant.

"I think you have a problem with alcohol, Gar."

Beast Boy averted his gaze from her eyes. He knew she was right. He couldn't get enough sparkling wine last night. His cheeks burned red with the shame that consumed him.

"I'm sorry Rave" he whispered.

She took his hand and sat down with him on the bed.

"It's not your fault. Your condition is genetic. You just have to promise me one thing."

He nodded. "I know, no alcohol, not a single drop, ever."

She wrapped her arms around him and squeezed "We can do this. I know you can do it. You're strong."

His ears perked up when he heard those last words, and he hugged her back.

"I'm on the wagon now." He said with a hint of pride in his voice.

"Good, because there's a lunch time reception at the University and we're both expected to attend…"

"My first trial, right?" He interrupted.

"I'm afraid so." She replied. "There will be plenty of wine flowing there."

Gar glanced at the now silent alarm clock.

"We'd better get hopping. It's late."

She released him from her embrace and got up from the bed.

"Wanna scrub my back?" she asked with a sly smile on her face as she headed for the shower.

"Do I?" he replied with glee as he hopped out of bed "Does Cy have a scrap iron butt?"

Raven giggled as she entered the bathroom, followed by a grinning, green changeling.


	21. Chapter 21

Terra had been awake for a few hours now, but couldn't get out of bed, even though it was already noon and she was starving. She knew that if she left the room she would have to face them. She felt like a complete fool after what happened last night. She had promised Raven to not cause her any more trouble, just to have Raven catch her groping her drunken husband. She had fallen that low, making out with a passed out drunk. And there was no doubt that the others already knew what happened. Raven probably told them about how "evil Terra" raped her unconscious husband. And truth be told, Terra was in no mood to face them. She didn't know what to do. Hiding in the room indefinitely was not an option. For one thing she was getting very hungry.

Terra wiped away a tear that had streamed down her cheek. It wasn't fair, why did he choose Raven? No matter what the others said Raven hadn't changed. She was still the stiff, aloof, icy and distant witch they had all grown to not love. She kept a close eye on them at the party. While Beast Boy was publicly affectionate with her, she never returned the favor. Azarath was definitely Raven's kind of town, she thought to herself, cold and unfriendly. The guests at the party were no different; they were all cold and stiff. She wondered if Raven even really loved him.

Terra felt sorry for Beast Boy, he was married to Raven for only a few weeks and she had already driven him to the bottle. If it wasn't for that blasted wedding curse she could probably steal him from her. Closing her eyes she recalled how much she had enjoyed kissing him. That damn curse! If she got him to leave Raven he would die, and if she killed Raven he would hate her forever. If only that damn gang banger had aimed a little higher Beast Boy would probably be sleeping in her bed tonight.

There was a loud knock on the door. Terra flinched. She had finally come to confront her. Right there and then she decided to stand her ground.

"What do you want Raven? Maybe if you made love to him he might not drink so much!" She yelled.

"Yo Terra, it's me, Cyborg. May I come in?"

Terra crawled out of her bed and opened the door. Cyborg entered the room cautiously.

"You OK, girl? What happened last night?"

"Didn't she tell you?" she pouted.

"No man, she didn't. They left early this morning. So what happened?"

Terra quickly recounted the previous evening's events to Cyborg, who looked mildly stunned after she was done.

"Terra, you gotta let it go. The grass stain's with Raven now, permanently. And get it out of your head that he's unhappy with her. I know he's happy. You might think she's some kind of ice queen, but from what little he's shared with me, she's anything but."

Terra looked at him with disgust. "What did he say? Please don't tell me that he said she's the world 's greatest lover."

Cyborg chuckled. "Nah, he's too private to share that sort of stuff. He just told me that being married to her has been better than anything he hoped for."

Terra sighed. "I'm sorry Cy, but I just can't stop thinking about him. I know it's lame and just goes to show what a loser I am, but I can't help it."

He patted her on the shoulder.

"You know what you need? You need a friend and I know those have been in short supply lately."

She nodded sadly.

"Why don't you get dressed and swing by my room when you're done. I'll buy you lunch."

She giggled softly. "Sure, why not. I guess I owe them an apology, don't I?"

"Yeah, but don't sweat it. They're not even angry with you. Raven's even feeling sorry for you."

"That's a new low, even for me." She sighed, before quickly changing the subject. "Ok, get out of here, unless you want to watch me get dressed."

"Oooh! Is that an offer?" he teased her.

"Just get out." She laughed as she shoved him out the door.

_**-( - )-**_

Best Boy was bored out of his mind. He had never been in a room with so many blowhards, and he attended a few of the mayor's charity balls in Jump City. He was chatted up by every old crone in the room, while Raven hobnobbed with the University faculty members and non-Matriarchal benefactors. What made his mixing with the crowd especially dull was that no one was curious in the least about him. All they did was ask him about Raven: how had they met, how did he like being married to her, what was she like, etc. No one even asked him why he was green, or how he felt about the honor of wearing a white cassock. Just as he thought he was about to go insane Ria stepped up to the podium and turned on the microphone.

"Welcome everyone and thanks for coming to the launch of the Raven Roth election campaign. This is a time of change for Azarath and we are fortunate to have Raven and Garfield Roth here to spearhead this long overdue change. So without any further ado I present to you Mrs. And Mr. Raven Roth."

The crowd erupted into thunderous applause. With an amused look in his eyes Beast Boy whispered into Raven's ear.

"Mr. Raven Roth? That kind of rolls off the tongue, huh?"

She squeezed his hand tight. "We have our work cut out for us." She replied.

"I can handle being Garfield Roth, but Mr. Raven Roth?" he joked back. "I guess I'll have to learn to like being barefoot and in the kitchen."

"You've done that for years back at the Tower and in your boxers too."

"Well, I can't do the pregnant part, you're stuck with that." He continued teasing her as she released his hand and stepped up to the microphone.

Raven stared out at the sea of eager faces. She sighed softly to compose herself before starting.

"Thank you for coming. After being in exile on Earth I was happy to return home to my beloved Azarath. What surprised me the most upon my return was the polarization I found and the aggressive grab for power by the Matriarchs. The Mayor's office belongs to the people and I want to return it to the people of Azarath. It is an insult to Azarathians that a puppet sits at the Mayor's desk as we speak. Together we will change that!"

The crowd applauded energetically, clearly approving her message. She waited for the applause to die down before continuing.

"But there is something else I want to talk about with you. Monoism. You all know that Garfield and I have a monogamous relationship, but it goes beyond that. Truth be told our relationship is based on the traditions and customs of the North American continent on Earth, where married couples are monogamous and regard each other as equals. It is not a crime for married couples to be lovers on Earth and after meeting with some of our younger citizens here in our fine city I have learned that they too long to have this kind of relationship with each other and many already do, but in private out of fear of being arrested by the Matriarchal guard. I intend to put an end to that!"

More eager applause followed, with many younger women and a few men standing as they applauded.

"So once again thank you for coming and showing your support. And now, Dr. Zoval and her staff have been kind enough to provide us with a fine luncheon. Enjoy!"

Raven stepped away from the podium as everyone stood and applauded. She took Beast Boy's hand and kissed him and they walked to their places at the table of honor, seated between Arella and Ria.

Dozens of wait staff filed into the room with trays of food which they began to place in front of the guests. Much to his own relief Beast Boy was served a pasta and vegetable dish. Ria placed a hand on his arm.

"We didn't forget about your dietary needs Garfield. And I'm sorry that I called you Mr. Raven Roth, it's just a convention."

"Don't worry, on Earth Raven could be called Mrs. Garfield Logan, but that's kind of archaic and not used much anymore."

As they began to eat Garfield saw several servers appear with bottles of wine. He reached for his wine glass and tuned it upside down. Raven noticed this as she chatted with someone, and in solidarity with him she turned her glass upside down as well.

The luncheon went by quickly and soon some of the guests began to leave. Raven continued to chat with some of the movers and shakers while Garfield was approached by some of the husbands, who were actually interested in asking him questions about himself. The men were especially curious and to the point, asking Garfield questions that were in his opinion very personal. One young man had the temerity to ask him who was dominant when they mated. Eventually the crowd did disperse, leaving the "Roths" alone with about 20 stragglers. The wait staff were busy bussing the dirty dishes when a scream was heard in the kitchen and the staff began to pour out in a panic. Raven and Beast Boy turned in their direction, already having instinctively adopted a combat stance. Their jaws almost hit the floor when they saw the trio emerge.

"Raven, Beast Boy, it's so good to see you again. I've brought some friends to play with you." Slade said as he gestured at Madame Rouge and Dr. Light.

Beast Boy leaped in front of Raven.

"Leave Raven alone Slade!" the changeling growled.

"Silly boy, I didn't come for Raven." Slade replied.

Dr. Light fired a laser cannon built into his body armor and hit Beast By square in the chest. As he collapsed unconscious Madame Rouge extended her arms at yanked him away before Raven could even move. As the sorceress prepared to counterattack Dr. Light threw some pellets in her direction, which exploded with a blinding light. As she struggled to regain her vision she heard Slade taunt her as he left.

"Ta ta, Raven. We'll be in touch. And don't worry about Beast Boy. I'll take good care of him, I promise."

By the time Raven was able to see; they were long gone. She shrieked a primal scream, and every window on the floor exploded.

_**-( - )-**_

Raven was pacing frantically back in her living room. Slade and his minions had simply vanished. No one saw them leave the University tower. Nightwing and Cyborg checked and double checked their sensor logs. A portal had opened that morning before the luncheon, but none since. The guys were convinced that they were still somewhere in Azarath. Arella sent the Tamaranian guard out under Starfire's command to search the city with Bumblebee but after hours of searching they returned empty handed. Terra along with Mas Y Menos searched at street level, but there was no sign of there either. Raven had stayed behind at Nightwing's insistence. He did not want her to fall into a trap in her current state of mental disarray. Starfire attempted to console her, but the gesture was futile, as the sorceress was frantic.

The team decided to rest for an hour and eat, and then resume their search. Arella sent for some food from the dining hall and as they waited for it to arrive a courier arrived from downstairs. He explained that a strange woman had dropped off a disc with the instruction to deliver it to Raven immediately. Before the security detail could interrogate the woman she ran outside and vanished into the crowd that had formed.

Raven stared at the disc, afraid of what it might contain. After a moment of staring at it with a fearful face she inserted it into the computer console and braced herself for the worst. As she feared, Slade's masked face appeared on the monitor.

"Hello Raven, by now you know you can't find us, so don't bother trying. I'm sure that you are watching this with the rest of the Titans, so I'll lay this out for all of you."

Starfire could see Raven begin to tremble and wrapped her arms around her dear friend, holding her tight.

"I've been asked by some people who don't like you to kill both you and Beast Boy. Now we all know that could become unpleasant for both of us, am I right Raven? For that reason I propose a deal, a truce if you will. If you back out of the Mayor's race I'll stop torturing Beast Boy and return him to you once the election is over. If you haven't withdrawn by 10:00 PM tonight, we will resume torturing him and I assure you it will be brutal, and I can guarantee you that he won't live to Election Day. I've included a small sample of what we've done to him already. You know what they say: a picture is worth a thousand words."

Once Slade finished talking the image on the screen changed. What Raven saw made her squeak a frightened whimper as tears began pouring down her cheeks. Beast Boy was stripped naked, his arms and legs tied to a circle, in a pose reminiscent of DaVinci's "Universal Man", with his legs spread, and dangling by his arms, struggling to breathe, moaning in agony. He was wearing some sort of collar that had LEDs that blinked. His body was covered in bruises, and there was dried blood on his face.

Madame Rouge and Dr. Light walked into the camera's view. Dr. Light grinned to the camera.

"Payback time, you filthy witch!" he sneered. He pulled out what looked like a large electrode and jammed it into Beast Boys testes. The changeling let out a blood curdling scream until he passed out.

Raven's jaw trembled. Starfire wrapped an arm around her.

"They will pay for this! I swear by X'Hal!" the princess roared.

The rest of the team was in an uproar but fell silent as Madame Rouge pulled out a surgeon's scalpel.

"If you do not withdraw by ten, I will begin to cut him. Hmmm, where should I begin?" she smiled evilly as she pointed to Beast Boy's crotch. "Perhaps here?"

Slade's face reappeared on the screen.

"Don't keep us in suspense, Raven. And don't forget, when the clock strikes 10, its over."

The recording ended as the Titans stared dumbfounded at each other, unable to believe the horror they had just seen. All except Terra. She was still staring at the screen, her arms crossed, with a frown on her face.

"I know where they are." she grunted.


	22. Chapter 22

"What?" Nightwing shouted, spinning around to face the Geomancer. "How could you possibly know?"

"I recognize that room. When I came through the portal I came into that very same room. I'd recognize it anywhere"

"Where is it Terra, tell me, I command you!" Starfire growled.

"Chill out Star, I'll take us there."

Raven lifted herself from the floor. Her eyes were puffy and her cheeks were still tear stained. She was still breathing heavily, almost hyperventilating. Nightwing approached her, placing his hands on her shoulders.

"Raven, I think you should stay here, you're in no shape to rescue Garfield."

She jerked away, glaring at him.

"No Richard, you're wrong, I have to go."

Nightwing regarded his violet haired friend carefully. Seeing the recording had angered him beyond belief. He was already fantasizing about giving Dr. Light some "electrical shock therapy" of his own. He couldn't even begin to imagine what Raven might do to him if she had the chance.

"I forbid it Raven. You're not going."

Raven gave him a nasty glare, even by her scary standards. Before he knew what was happening he was encased in dark energy.

"In case you've forgotten bird boy, I'm not a Titan anymore. I don't take orders from you!" Raven heard a gasp and out of the corner of her eye she saw Starfire's worried face, concerned for her newly minted husband's safety. Raven's expression softened and she released Nightwing from her magical grip.

"I have to go Richard. If I die trying to rescue him, so be it." She said somberly, feeling a hand on her shoulder.

"I agree, you should go Raven, and I will go with you. Slade has gone too far this time."Terra affirmed.

"As will I" Starfire announced, followed by Bumblebee's "Count me in."

Cyborg didn't like where this was going.

"Whoa, time out. What is this, girl's night out?"

"Don't be stupid Sparky! Raven has to rescue her man, and her sisters are gonna help her. " Bumblebee rebuked him, "and in case you've forgotten, BB's my little bro too, and I don't take kindly to assholes torturing him."

"And what are we supposed to do?" Cyborg complained.

"Stay outta the way. This rescue's gonna require finesse, not brute force."

Raven placed her hand on the bionic man's arm. "You can provide us with backup."

"I really hope you know what you're doing Rae" Cy replied.

"So do I, so do I".

_**-( - )-**_

Beast Boy hung from his harness, still unconscious from the electrical shock torture he had received from Dr. Light. What the video had not shown the Titans was the beating he had received earlier. The collar he was wearing was a super power cancellation device. While he wore it Beast Boy was unable to morph. He had woken up tied to the harness, wearing the collar. He quickly realized that they had stripped him naked to make him feel vulnerable, and it was working. Once they realized he was awake they had their fun. Slade did not participate, as he felt that it was beneath him to indulge in such a base activity. Rouge and Dr. Light had no qualms with beating the boy. Both held major grudges against the Titans, especially against Raven. While they both would have preferred to have Raven tied up, exposed and helpless, beating the hell out of her husband was an acceptable proxy for them.

"Hello Beast Boy, how are you feeling? We feel like playing, care to join us?" Rouge teased him as she slapped a long piece of rubber hose against her hand.

Dr. Light approached from the opposite direction, holding something small in his hand. Beast Boy strained to see what it was. As he got closer he saw that it was a soldering iron.

_Great, they gonna take turns beating and burning me._

"And just to show you what good sports we are, we'll let you pick which one of us gets the first shot at you" Dr. Light taunted him.

Beast Boy refused to reply, and instead he prepared himself to endure what was about to happen to him. He focused his thoughts on Raven, closing his eyes and seeing her face in his mind's eye.

After almost an hour of torture Beast Boy had refused to give his captors the pleasure of hearing him scream. It had not been easy. The burns hurt like hell, but were localized. The rubber hose beatings however, were agonizing. Rouge had also punched him in the face several times, breaking his nose and a few teeth.

Dr. Light eventually grew impatient with the soldering iron and cast it aside. He walked over to a nearby tool chest and after rummaging through it for a few minutes returned with a grin on his face. He got close to Beast Boy, almost nose to nose.

"Guess what I found?" he sneered. "A pair of high voltage electrodes. I'm gonna put some spark into your life boy!" the villain chuckled.

Dr. Light was about to apply the electrodes to Beast Boy's side when Rouge stopped him.

"Wait! Slade said that he had to remain unspoiled."

She looked around the room until she found what she was looking for. She returned with a piece of wood wrapped in cloth, which she shoved into his mouth.

"There, now he won't bite his tongue off. Do your worst Arthur!"

Dr. Light proceeded to give Beast Boy several electric shocks. The changeling's body arced in pain as the electrons flowed through his nervous system. The pain was so intense that he began to pray for death as a release from his agony. Dr. Light suddenly stopped. By this point Beast Boy was in such pain that he didn't even notice the camera being set up, to record the shock that the Titans would later get to see.

Gar collapsed after that final shock that was recorded on video and they left him tied to the harness, which they lied down on the floor, with Beast Boy facing the ceiling. They knew that if they left him hanging he might asphyxiate. They left him there while they went to eat and get some rest. He didn't need to be guarded. He wasn't going anywhere.

This is where Raven found him as she phased into the room with Bumblebee, Starfire and Terra in tow. Raven saw him before the others and she died a thousand deaths when she saw his broken, naked body lying on the floor, tossed aside like a piece of trash. Raven trembled as she approached him. He looked a thousand times worse than on the recording. She laid hands on him to get a feel for how bad the damage was.

"He's at death's door." Her voice quivered. She felt a pair of hands on her shoulders.

"Healing hands Raven, he needs your healing hands." Terra reminded her. "You can do it Raven."

Raven nodded, still trembling, and the blue light began to flow from her hands and enveloped his torso. The other girls removed his bindings, freeing him from the harness. Starfire removed the collar, ripping it apart with her mighty hands. Terra had told them what the collar did.

"Those sons of bitches are gonna pay for this." Karen muttered between her clenched teeth.

The healing process continued for over ten minutes. Raven stopped to take a breather. She was drenched in sweat.

"His internal injuries are healed, except for his broken teeth, now it's just the outside."

Raven took a deep breath and summoned the blue healing light once again. This time the girls could see his appearance began to return to normal as his skin was once again green and no longer covered in bruises. It was only then that they actually noticed that he was completely naked. Bumblebee blushed and turned away, just in time to see Dr. Light walk into the room.

"Slade! Rouge! We have company!" he shouted at the top of his lungs.

Upon hearing his voice Raven's eyes glowed black. She removed her cape and covered Beast Boy's now shivering body with it.

"Star, stay with him. Now it's my turn for payback!"

"Raven! Wait!" Starfire called after her, before desisting. She knew what Raven was about to do, and realized that had it been Richard tied to that harness she would be doing the same.

Just as Slade and Madame Rouge entered the room with Dr. Light Raven had begun to adopt the demonic form he feared so much, but this time it was much worse. Raven had sprouted her second pair of eyes and her teeth were serrated like a shark's. She had grown to almost 80 feet tall and her tendrils had already reached out and captured Slade and Rouge. Dr. Light tried to escape by running to another room, but Raven caught him as he had just crossed the threshold. Instead of drawing him back, she followed him into the adjacent room, dragging Slade and Rouge with her as they begged for mercy.

The door closed behind her, sealed in obsidian light. No one dared to move as they heard Raven roar in her demonic voice which made the whole building shake.

"You bastards! You worthless frakking scum! You will pay for what you did to him! When I'm done with you, you will wish you had never been born!"

The three female Titans turned pale when they heard the sounds that came out of the room. First it was Rouge and Dr. Light begging for mercy.

"IT'S PAYBACK TIME DR! NO MERCY FOR YOU TODAY!" The otherworldly voice bellowed.

"Should we stop her?" Starfire asked.

"No" Bumblebee replied "Those motherfrakkers went too far this time. They deserve whatever she does to them."

The pleas for mercy were soon replaced by screams of pain and terror, and this time they heard Slade's voice as well. The screams continued for almost five minutes and suddenly stopped. After another five minutes Raven emerged from the room in her normal human form. The look on her face was vacant as if in a daze. Starfire ran to her and embraced her.

"Raven, are you OK?" the alien asked.

"No Star, I'm not!" her voice trembled as tears ran down her face.

"What happened in there?" Starfire asked as Raven fell to her knees.

"I lost control Star! I lost all control! Rage took over again." She sobbed.

"Where are Slade and the others?" she asked, fearing the answer was about to hear.

"I killed them Star! I murdered them in cold blood while they begged for their lives!" she sobbed.

Starfire ran to the room to see the aftermath. She screamed in horror at what she saw and ran back to Raven and hugged her again.

"How could I have done that? I'm a monster!"

"No Raven, you're not a monster. They were the monsters." Terra assured her. "They pushed you over the edge and made you lose control. They should have known better than to do that. They deserved what happened to them, not just for what they did to you and BB, but also to all their other victims. It's cosmic justice Raven. The only thing that was unfair is that fate chose you to punish them."

Raven fought to regain her composure. She also saw the irony in that it was Terra who was consoling her over losing control, after all those times that Raven had put her down for her own lack of control.

"Maybe you're right Terra; but Gar will never forgive me. How could he? Once he sees what I've done he'll know that I'm evil. He is so pure and good, and I'm not. I've never deserved him and now I'll lose him forever." She cried.

"Don't be so sure about that Raven. If there's anything I know about BB is that he forgives easily and generously, especially those he loves. He'll never turn his back on you."

Raven crawled over to Beast Boy's still unconscious form, and lifted him, cradling him in her arms as she sat on the floor. She kissed his forehead and began to sob violently.

Starfire flipped open her communicator.

"Richard? We're ready for some help now. And bring a stretcher for Beast Boy. Yes, he is OK, but I fear Raven is not."

_**-( - )-**_

It had been three days since the rescue. Once word got out that the Matriarchs had been behind Beast Boy's kidnapping and torture the citizens of Azarath began to demonstrate in the streets, demanding the arrest of the Matriarchs. The Matriarch's mercenaries recognized a lost cause when they saw it and fled Azarath, leaving the Matriarch's defenseless. Arella suggested they turn themselves in or she would send her Tamaranian brigade after them. Most chose to flee Azarath, never to return. When the sun rose on the third day the Circle of Matriarchs was no more. Their property was confiscated and redistributed to the general population. Arella was now the only Matriarch left, and she formally declared the Circle to be null and void, renouncing any claim it once had as the second branch of government.

The Mayor resigned and appointed Ria Zoval as the interim mayor. Her first act as mayor was to call for a convention to draft a new Constitution for Azarath. Her second act was to pardon Raven for killing the 3 villains, on the presumption that she was temporarily insane. There were no objections. Raven had withdrawn her candidacy for the Mayor's office, happy to let Ria deal with the headaches that no doubt were awaiting down the road.

Raven barricaded herself in her room, tending to Beast Boy while he finished recovering from his injuries. It gave her great joy and pleasure to spoil him rotten as she doted on him, even when he protested claiming he was fine. She slept in late with him every morning, savoring their precious time together, a time without issues or worries, which she feared could evaporate at any moment. Beast Boy later told her that he had never seen such a sweet and tender side to her, and that her kisses had never been sweeter. She allowed no one else in the room, except for Starfire, with whom she had long discussions while Beast Boy slept through the many healing trances she gave him.

She was very grateful for the mayoral pardon and was surprised that the local citizenry still considered her a hero. Still she would not venture outside of the apartment. The vast living room had become Titan central as the rest of the Titans had basically moved in, sleeping in the apartments 4 spare bedrooms, which had never had a husband to occupy them.

Raven's greatest source of relief had been Beast Boy's acceptance of her killing the 3 villains. He admitted that he would have done the same had the tables been turned, and it would be hypocritical if he held that against her.

Nightwing on the other hand, hadn't forgiven her. It went against the Titan's code and even though she wasn't a Titan anymore, Nightwing felt that he still had some authority over her, even if it was now only honorary. On the second night after the rescue, he and Starfire were having some pillow talk about the events of the past few days. He was planning on returning to Earth soon. They still had the wedding ceremony on Tamaran to deal with. But there was a thorn in his side. Starfire wanted Beast Boy and Raven to return with them.

"Why do you want them to come back with us Star? They have a home here. They belong here."

Starfire lifted herself out of the bed, slipping on her silk robe to cover her orange figure. She did not look at her husband as she spoke to him.

"You are wrong Richard. Azarath is not Raven's home. She is almost as alien here as we are, and I know that Beast Boy is most miserable here. Believe it or not they wish to return with us."

"You know that can't happen Star. She broke the code."

She veered around and glared at him. "To hell with the stupid code! You speak as if X'Hal herself had given it to you!"

"So you're saying that I'm being an unreasonable hard ass?"

"If you want to put it that way … then yes! You tell me that if I had been the one captured and tortured that you wouldn't have done the same to them!"

Richard sighed. He knew that he wasn't going to win this one.

"Fine, you win."

"Do not be the sore loser, my husband, it does not suit you. Also, I have some good news to share."

"Really, I could stand to hear some."

"Now that Slade is dead, it turns out that Arella owns all his property on Earth. She explained it to me, something about a contractual partnership. She inherited his property upon his death."

"That's interesting, but how does that affect us?"

She beamed before continuing.

"She is going to sell the property and give us the money! She has already contacted the Mayor of Jump City and has offered to buy Titans Tower for us! It will be our home forever! She says that we should have enough money to pay all our bills into perpe…"

"Perpetuity. It means we have enough money to pay our bills forever."

"Oh, you mean like in 'Forrest Gump' when Lt. Dan says they don't have to worry about money anymore?"

"Exactly! Say, do any of the others know this?"

"No, just you, Raven and I."

Richard bolted out of bed. "Then what are we waiting for? Let's go tell them!"

"Richard!" she shouted "Wait!"

"Why? What for?"

She giggled "Look in the mirror".

Dick turned and saw why she had stopped him. He wasn't wearing any clothes.

"Maybe it can wait until tomorrow."


	23. Chapter 23

The Titans were thrilled to hear the good news at breakfast next morning. Arella explained to them that it would take some time to sell Slade's properties given the current economic situation on Earth, but that she had already started negotiations with Jump City government to purchase Titans Tower from the municipality. The Titans had all but forgotten the way the citizens of California's 'jewel' had treated them just a few months before and were eager to move back into their what they felt was now the only place they could call home. They debated whether or not to return immediately to Earth and stay with Bruce until the final arrangements had been made for their return, but in the end they decided to wait as there were some loose end to take care of before returning.

Beast Boy had physically recovered from his injuries, but his spirit, like most of his body, was still scarred. He had recurring nightmares where he was being tortured and woke up many times in Raven's arms as she tried to soothe him each time after reliving that horror in his subconscious.

Raven blamed herself for what she perceived as her own incompetence. She simply could not forgive herself for having allowed Dr. Light to blind her while he and Madame Rouge kidnapped Beast Boy. Every time she saw the countless new scars that covered his body she felt like an utter failure. She, the most powerful of the Titans, had failed to protect him because she had been too busy schmoozing. She castigated herself repeatedly, berating herself that she should have teleported them away at the first sign of trouble instead of trying to face Slade and company without the Titans. Now because of her poor judgment Garfield had endured unspeakable horrors and three villains were dead.

Life was so unfair, she thought. Why couldn't she and Gar have been two ordinary kids? They'd probably be in college and dating, their biggest worry would be getting their assignments turned in on time and getting good grades. She now reveled in anything that would at least temporarily distract her from the fact that she wasn't an ordinary girl and that included the moments of physical intimacy she shared with Gar. When she shared the sweet ecstasy of physical love with him she was just a woman sharing her innermost self with the man she loved. Not a superhero, not a sorceress, just herself, Raven. Unfortunately those moments were fleeting and when she got up in the morning and saw her gray face in the mirror the reality of her situation reasserted itself. She was cursed with a role in life she didn't want.

Nevertheless, she thanked Azar that he was lying asleep next to her, safe and sound. Had she lost him there's no telling what might have happened that day. Might she have destroyed all of Azarath in her uncontrolled rage?

Rage. The emotion that Beast Boy and Cyborg helped her capture and control had broken loose that day. Well, not really broken loose, more like it had sweet talked its way out of the prison that Raven had built up for it over the years. Rage had lost a great deal of its potency the day she destroyed her father and had not been a problem for her since that fateful day. But Rage was patient and had been slowly rebuilding its power while hiding it from Raven's psyche. It would wait for the right moment to come, and it seized the opportunity when Raven saw her beloved's tortured body, bound, beaten and naked, left to die on a cold, dirty floor.

"_Let me deal with them, you know they deserve it."_

_Raven balked at the request. First of all she was surprised. Rage has been silent for over two years now._

"_No! Go back to your cell!" she ordered._

"_Look at him! Look at what they have done to him! Do you really think that they'll receive justice here in Azarath? And what if they escape? Could you live with that?"_

_Raven knew that Rage was right. Even if they were captured they would get a slap on the wrist and be placed in a prison cell they would no doubt escape from in a matter of months. Still she would not release her._

"_Go back to your cell." She ordered, this time half heatedly._

_Rage saw that she was making progress._

"_What's wrong with you Raven?!" she sneered. "Don't you love him? Look at Terra; she's ready to punish them. Maybe she does deserve Gar more than we do."_

_Rage had won the battle. She knew well that Raven's greatest fear was that Gar would leave her for Terra. It was an irrational fear, not grounded in any kind of truth. The kind of fear Rage knew she could exploit._

"_Shut up!" Raven growled in her mind. "Don't you ever again mention her name."_

"_Gar will know who came to his rescue. He will know who to thank and he will know who truly loves him. Whose bed do you want him to sleep in?"_

"_How do I know I can trust you?"_

"_Raven, I am part of you. Can you not trust yourself? You know you are always in control." Rage completed her circle of lies._

_Raven succumbed to the temptation in her weakened emotional state._

Back in their bedroom Raven stroked Beast Boy's sleeping figure, feeling every scar on his body while tears ran down her face.

"I'm so sorry Gar" she whimpered, her apology unheard by the sleeping man.

_**-( - )-**_

Arella completed the sale of Slade's properties to Lex Luthor, who purchased then for 20 cents on the dollar. Still, the sale raise dalmost 500 million dollars, more than enough to pay for the Tower and to set up a trust fund to cover the Titans operating expenses. Bruce had also bid on the properties, but did not want them as badly as Luthorcorp, and was outbid by the bald business and crime magnate. Nightwing commented that they would probably be seeing Kal-El dropping by the Tower in the not so distant future, as he would no doubt be keeping an eye on what Luthor would be using the newly refurbished factory for. This prospect excited Starfire, as she had been intrigued by Kryptonians since she met Supergirl on 'Superhero Challenge'.

When the day of their return came Raven opened a portal back to the Jump City Bat Cave, where the Dark Knight awaited their arrival. Their farewell from Azarath was a simple one. Arella and Zia were there to say goodbye, as was Melvar. After many long discussions with her daughter Arella had decided to keep Melvar as her husband. Raven had convinced her to accept him as her equal. Through her empathic abilities she had discerned that Melvar truly loved her mother, and she bluntly told her to not be stupid and accept him, especially since Arella loved him as well.

Batman welcomed them home and gave them a brief update of the state of Jump City. At his behest the Justice League had come into town and put an end to the gang war that ravaged the city. The only gang bangers who had not been captured were those that fled for greener pastures. Once the gang purge was complete the Justice League withdrew, with the warning to any gangs contemplating a return to Jump City: The Titans would be returning soon. He also mentioned that Alfred had spent the past week in the Tower preparing it for their return.

The city greeted the news with joyful celebration. Bruce even had a copy of the local paper with the headline "Welcome Home Titans!" After passing the front page around Nightwing motioned to the T-Ship.

"Let's go home team."

_**-( - )-**_

Beast Boy sat on top of Titans Tower, gazing at the skyline that wrapped itself around the bay. The sun was setting and a cool breeze blew from the bay as the green Titan relaxed after a day of crime fighting. It had been six weeks since they returned from Azarath. The city welcomed them back enthusiastically and with great hope. The gang wars had not resumed, and police intelligence indicated that the gangs had indeed moved on to greener pastures. Without Slade's technical and financial support they were not eager to take on the now expanded Titan's. Even the super villains seemed conspicuously absent. Azarathian authorities chose not to share the fates of the 3 villains that had entered their realm, other than to indicate that they were 'deceased'. The rumors ran rampant that the Titans had slain the trio, and at more than one press conference Nightwing had to deflect those questions saying that it had been handled by Azarathian authorities.

The Tabloid media also had a field day with the fact that there were now two married couples living in the tower. Nightwing and Starfire were the "cute" couple that the tabloids fawned over. They just couldn't get enough interviews with the couple, who attended many charity events, visited schools, hospitals, etc. as the face of the Titans.

The Logans on the other hand were not sought out for interviews, which suited Raven just fine. Curiously she didn't even seem to care that the tabloids called them the "creepy couple". Insensitive remarks like these did not perturb her, as she spent long hours meditating every day. She had been in the same position for over two hours, levitating next to Beast Boy, while chanting her mantra.

Beast Boy was worried, as she had been in a melancholic state since they returned. He and the other Titans knew what was wrong with Raven. She was still trying to reconcile with what had happened on Azarath, with her loss of control. She refused to talk about it, even with Garfield, insisting that she would "deal with it" on her own terms. But it was self evident that she was not making any progress. She had lost over 20 pounds and was beginning to look emaciated. She had also not been intimate with her husband in weeks. To Beast Boy it felt that she was in a steady decline and he was extremely worried about her. He looked at his watch and realized that her meditation session was getting close to 3 hours. He scooted over next to her and extended his hand to touch one of her legs.

"Azarath, Metrion, Zinth …what is it Gar?" she asked before he touched her.

"I'm scared, Rave".

She opened her eyes and looked at her husband. His face was still scarred from the beatings he had received and she still flinched when she saw them. She couldn't get his screams of terror and pain out of her mind, no matter how much she meditated.

"There's nothing to worry about Gar, trust me."

"Bull shit!" he scowled "Look at yourself Rave, you're a mess. You never eat, you don't sleep with me anymore, and when I try to talk with you about this, you blow me off."

"We need to be patient Gar; eventually the meditation will do its thing."

He leaped up and grabbed her by the shoulders, shaking her.

"No Rave, you need help! You can't fix this by yourself!"

Raven gathered herself before responding.

"Gar, there's something I haven't told you!"

Beast Boy's heart froze. He knew he wasn't going to like what she was about to say.

"What is it Rae? Please tell me it's good news."

She shook her head. "I think you should divorce me."

"WHAT!?" he shrieked, "Why? I thought our Azarathian marriage was divorce proof."

She sighed. "There is an escape clause. Since I committed a heinous felony, you have the right to divorce me."

Beast Boy began to sniffle. She immediately regretted telling him about the escape clause. He looked devastated.

"Rave, you mean you don't love me anymore?" his voice trembled.

"No, I actually love you more than ever, which is why I want you to divorce me."

"What are you talking about? That makes no sense!" he sobbed.

Raven broke down and began to weep.

"I'm evil, Gar. I'm a wretched half demon. I thought that after I destroyed my father that I was free, but I was wrong, so wrong. He once told me he would always be with me, and he was right. I've been fighting it all my life, trying to keep it under control, and I thought I was succeeding, I really did. But I was only fooling myself. I am his daughter, and I always will be. I'm not good enough for you; you're pure as snow, while I'm filthy as a sewer."

Beast Boy wrapped his arms around his wife.

"Rae, just because your father was evil doesn't mean you are. And you're not getting rid of me that easily. Just because you lost control doesn't mean you're evil. Evil people aren't heroes, and you're a true hero, the greatest of the Titans. And there's nothing filthy about you."

Raven melted into his embrace "I'm so sorry, please forgive me. I just don't know how to deal with this guilt. It's consuming me."

"We'll find a way, I promise. Remember when you said you'd die before forsaking me? Well I'm not giving up on you either. I'd also rather die before doing that."

She pulled back from his embrace and looked up into his eyes."Thank you."

"I've already forgiven you, now you need to forgive yourself."

He pulled her into a strong embrace and they sat there for over an hour listening to the waves crash into rocks below until Starfire found them. She came to ask them if they wanted to try the new Italian restaurant on the South Bay. To her immense delight and relief Raven replied "dinner sounds good".


	24. Chapter 24

Two more months passed by. Except for appearances by Plasmus and Cinderblock, who were easily captured by the Titans, it had been rather uneventful. Without a mastermind behind them the two villains were colossal only in size. As always, Raven only needed to project her soul self into the slime monster to make it sleep, returning its host to its human form. Cinderblock, while lacking such a basic weakness as Plasmus, was a mental midget. Starfire and Nightwing were easily able to subdue him while the rest of the team watched.

There had been other minor incidents, most of which were botched attempts at robbing banks. There was one however where a gunman tried to take a shot a Raven with his AK-47. This time Raven was neither exhausted nor distracted and had her shields in place to deflect the barrage of bullets. She fumed while Starfire knocked the gunman out with a low power star bolt. Why did the bastards always shoot at her first?

As Nightwing had predicted, Superman came by a paid a courtesy call to the Titans. Other than Nightwing none of them had ever met the Man of Steel before. He was a complete contrast to the Dark Knight: cheerful, friendly and outgoing. Raven, like the others, was familiar with his red and blue costume which in real life was even brighter than in the photos. She wondered why some heroes picked such obnoxious colors for their costumes. Even Dick had the common sense to ditch his old "traffic light" for what she thought was a much more tasteful outfit, namely his new Nightwing persona.

Starfire was enthralled with the Kryptonian, enraptured while listening to his every word as he gave the Titans the low down on what he had found at the new Luthorcorp plant. Beast Boy teased her, asking her if she was thinking of trading up to a stronger superhero, reminding her that Superman already had a girlfriend named Lois Lane. Starfire punched her green teammate in the arm, a punch that would have knocked Mike Tyson out cold and which sent Beast Boy flying into wall. The green hero was stronger than he looked, but complained vociferously nonetheless.

"Geez Star, can't you take a joke?" he whined while he rubbed his aching upper arm.

Starfire crossed her arms and frowned. "Beast Boy, you can be such a klohrbag sometimes!" She walked away, but not before turning around and "harrumphing" him.

"Let me look at your arm Gar." Raven appeared at his side. After examining it carefully she pronounced her prognosis. "Looks like you have a hairline fracture. I'll fix it." She chuckled.

"What are you laughing at?" he frowned at her.

"Gar, I love you more than life itself, but sometimes you can be so clueless. You practically accused Starfire of not being faithful to Dick."

"It was a joke!" he moaned. He sighed and remained silent while Raven summoned the healing blue light. "Thanks" He whispered to her, thanking her with a gentle kiss. "It's as good as new!"

Garfield had been undergoing a lot of healing lately. At Raven's insistence he had been to see a plastic surgeon to remove the scars from his face. She simply could not bear to look at them anymore as they invoked haunting memories for her. Terra once remarked that the scars made Beast Boy look "manly", to which Raven responded that he was already manly, and didn't need a beat up face to be a man. She even took the opportunity to take a jab at Terra. "The scars won't make him a better lover, trust me, I know." she taunted the Geomancer. Between the surgeon's efforts and Raven's healing powers they were able to erase the scars entirely from her beloved's face.

Beast Boy had also been to see a psychiatrist for help with his recurring nightmares. Progress was steady but slow and the dreams now occurred less frequently than before. Beast Boy tried, in vain, to get Raven to see a therapist as well. Since the evening on the Tower's roof she had been pouring her heart out to him every night when they retired to bed. While Beast Boy considered that a good start he still felt that she should still be treated by a professional. Raven argued that it would be a colossal waste of time as human therapists would be unable to understand her non human, half demon psyche. As an example, she argued that they would confuse Nevermore with multiple personality disorder.

Beast Boy saw her point and decided to let it go for the time being. He hoped that as long as she talked about it that there would be healing, and she still needed it. While she had regained most of her lost weight and her libido had returned Beast Boy knew that still wasn't whole, not by a long shot.

"Wanna grab some lunch?" she asked him. "There's a new vegetarian place downtown."

Beast Boy knew a peace offering when he saw one, and quickly accepted it. The couple exited the Tower arm in arm and flew into town on one of Ravens flying discs.

Kal-El and Nightwing continued discussing the Luthorcorp factory in Nightwing's office. The Kryptonian told the Titans that he didn't see anything strange at the factory. On the surface it looked like it was an ordinary tire factory. Luthorcorp recently purchased a controlling interest in a faltering tire manufacturer, mostly to acquire the brand name. Most of the acquired company's existing factories were antiquated and Luthor closed them down, firing thousands and angering the unions that represented the dismissed workers. The union was planning a major protest in front of the new non-union Jump City factory tomorrow.

_**-( - )-**_

As expected a large throng had formed early in front of the newly opened factory's main entrance. There were at least 2000 protestors present. They had been chanting and shouting all morning, waving signs and placards that supported their cause. Around noon hundreds of police officers arrived dressed in riot gear, which the protesters did not take kindly to. The police ordered them to disperse, which the protest leaders refused, as they claimed to have their permits in order and were protesting in an orderly and peaceful manner. The police would not take no for an answer and began to arrest the protestors. The situation began to escalate quickly and was turning ugly as the Titans arrived. Lex Luthor happened to be onsite that day and was watching the events unfold from the plant manager's office, his arms crossed and a frown on his face. The police promised him that they would keep things under control but the protestors were on the verge of tearing down the gates and storming the factory after being provoked by the police. He had told the commissioner that his own security forces would be able to handle the protestors, but he was warned by the mayor that his security detail had best not step off his property. Lex was not amused by mayors telling him what to do. But he was amused when the Titans arrived.

Luthor had never taken Jump City's guardians seriously. In his mind they were a collection of lightweights, renegade sidekicks who lacked maturity and real power. He heard about their victory over the Brotherhood of Evil, but was still unimpressed as he also regarded the Brotherhood as a collection of buffoons, villains who most likely rubbed their hands together while saying "bwahaha!" He gave the late Slade Wilson credit for never joining up with those freaks, even though he did regard Slade as a clown as well.

He walked back to his desk where he had dossiers on the Titans, with enough detail and exposed secrets that if Nightwing were to see them he would freak out. He purchased this information from Slade just a few months before when the Titans left Jump City, concerned that they might relocate to Metropolis. From what the dossiers told him they were not a serious threat. Nightwing was a Batman wannabe, formerly known as Robin. His wife, an alien with superpowers, was naïve and far less powerful than any of the Kryptonians. The Guatemalan Twins could run fast, but that was it. Then there was the bionic boy, who was so proud of his primitive technology. Luthor couldn't help but snicker as he tossed Cyborg's dossier aside as he picked up Beast Boy's report. A changeling who was always green. Yeah, that would be effective. And what was this update at the bottom? He's seeing a shrink! Apparently it really isn't easy being green. Then there was the girl with insect wings. Where did they find all these freaks? He shook his head. The final two dossiers did catch his attention. Raven was half demon and Terra a Geomancer. Now those two could be interesting. The demoness married the green boy, and the Geomancer had once been his girlfriend and still loved him. What the hell? Was this boy some kind of chromatically challenged Don Juan? No matter, thought Luthor, he could always use that love triangle to his advantage if the two girls ever gave him any trouble.

As he walked back to the window he saw the Titans talking with the police and the protestors, who had begun to disperse. One thing he had learned was that the Titans had the respect of the "man on the street". He was curious about what the Titans had done to pacify the protestors. There was only one way to find out.

"Max" he addressed the plant manager. "Invite the Titans to come inside. Tell them I'd like to have lunch with them."


	25. Chapter 25

The Titans were chatting with the union leaders in front of the plant's main entrance. Nightwing was extremely pleased with himself as he defused a potentially explosive situation by merely talking. He couldn't wait to tell Bruce, but that would have to wait. He still had to convince the riot control team's captain that it would be a good idea to release the protestors that had already been arrested, but how hard could that be?

Beast Boy was chatting with a small group of protestors who brought their children with them, entertaining the kids by morphing into various adorable animals. He was giving some small children a pony ride when Starfire approached him, looking somewhat contrite.

"Friend, may I talk with you?" She asked.

Beast Boy morphed back into his human form, deftly catching the little girl who had been riding on his back and handing her to her parents. Raven had been watching his crowd pleasing antics from a distance, jealous of how easily he handled kids and how much they loved him. She on the other hand, told children bedtime stories that would make good Twilight Zone episodes. She sighed, knowing that someday Gar would want to have a baby. She put that worry out of her mind, knowing that she would cross that bridge when she came to it.

"What's up Star?" he replied cheerfully.

Starfire marveled at the changeling. He never harbored a grudge and was always positive and happy. And he cared so much about others. Raven was a lucky girl, she told herself. Had she not found Beast Boy she probably would have spent her life without a mate.

"Beast Boy, I bring you apologies."

"Huh? What for?" he asked with a puzzled look on his face.

"Raven told me that I broke your arm yesterday when a hit you in my fit of anger. It appears that I am the klohrbag." She said sorrowfully. "Will you please forgive me?"

"Forget it. I had it coming anyway. And Raven fixed it right away; it was just a hairline fracture."

"So we are still friends?" she asked hopefully.

"Always!" he replied, kissing her on the cheek. He then morphed into a monkey and chased some small kids who squealed with delight.

Bumblebee was standing next to Raven and had been watching Beast Boy.

"Beast Boy sure likes kids, doesn't he Raven?"

"Uh huh" Raven replied. She then braced herself. _Here it comes…_

"So how long are you planning on waiting?"

"Waiting for what?" Raven asked innocently, knowing full well what she meant.

"To have a baby. Girl, for someone who's so smart, you can be pretty clueless. He's gonna want a few of his own, sweetheart. Haven't you thought about that?"

"A few?" Raven said nervously. "You mean he wants more than one?"

Bumblebee laughed. "I think you might want to start talking with him about that. The longer you put it off, the more kids he's gonna want." Karen teased the sorceress, who had an alarmed look on her face.

"Oh chill, Raven. I'm just messin' with your mind. But seriously though, you should talk with him about it sooner rather than later." Bumblebee reassured her lightheartedly, before switching to a more serious tone. "Just remember that there's someone else who will give him the babies if you won't."

Raven scanned the crowd looking for her, and found Terra joking with Beast Boy, sharing a laugh.

"Thanks for the friendly warning." Raven droned. "I'll make a point of discussing it with him tonight."

A clattering sound was heard coming from the plant gates. Two security guards unlocked the chains that held the gate closed and opened them. A man dressed in an impeccable suit walked out and approached the Titans.

"Mr. Lex Luthor has invited you to have lunch with him." the man announced in a tone that suggested acceptance wasn't optional. "Please follow me."

_**-( - )-**_

The Titans followed Maximilian Gantry into the factory. Cyborg turned on all his sensors, recording everything he could. The factory was impeccable, the floor clean enough to eat off of. Mr. Gantry was silent as he led them across the massive factory floor to the office section that was at the rear of the factory site. The titans exchanged confused glances with each other, wondering why the Kal-El's nemesis was inviting them into his inner sanctum. As they reached the south end of the factory floor, which was a massive one thousand meters long they reached an elevator. The plant manager motioned them to enter and he followed them in. The doors closed and the lift began to ascend.

"I'm Max Gantry, the General Manager of this LuthorCorp facility." He introduced himself. "Mr. Luthor has invited you to share a meal with him as a token of his appreciation for your handling of the protestors."

"That's, uh, nice of him." Raven droned in reply.

"It's unheard of." Gantry corrected her. "This is a great honor. I've worked for the Luthor family for over 30 years, and I have never been asked to share a meal with Mr. Luthor or his father."

"I'll remember to curtsey" Bumblebee said under her breath.

The elevator reached the top floor in the tower and its doors opened. Gantry led them down a short hallway with a pair of double doors at the end. A doorman opened the doors, which revealed and elegant dining room with places already set at the table for them. Lex Luthor was already seated at the head of the table and rose to greet his guests.

"Thank you for joining me for lunch. I have wanted to meet Jump City's superhero guardians for some time now. I must say you handled the situation outside most adroitly, unlike the incompetent local police department."

"Thank you Mr. Luthor, we always consider it our mission to do what's best for Jump City." Nightwing replied.

Lex worked his way around the table, introducing himself to each Titan, thanking each one and making some small talk. He got to Terra last.

"I didn't know you were a Teen Titan, Miss Markov. Did you just join the team?"

Before Terra could answer Raven interrupted.

"Terra is a probationary member of the team. She used to be a member a few years ago, but chose to leave us at that time."

"That's very diplomatic of you, Mrs. Logan. I seem to recall that she betrayed you and worked with the late Slade Wilson. Tell me Mrs. Logan, do you have any details on how Mr. Wilson met his demise?" Luthor replied.

"I'm afraid that you'll have to contact the authorities on Azarath for details on that matter." She replied.

"Of course." Luthor replied. "Shall we be seated? Lunch is ready to be served."

Luthor's servants served a sumptuous lunch to the Titans, including an exquisite vegetarian dish specially prepared for Beast Boy. Luthor continued with the small talk, talking about the new factory and the positive impact it would have on Jump City.

"Mr. Luthor, forgive me for my impertinence, but won't the wages you will be paying your employees in the new factory lower than those of the employees you fired at the closed factories."

"It's all a matter of perspective your highness." He replied, acknowledging her royal lineage. "The old factories were money losers and would have bankrupted themselves eventually. Wouldn't you agree that a lower wage is better than no wage?"

Starfire quickly realized that Luthor was a smooth operator, and her royal upbringing had taught her that this was not the setting to confront him.

"An interesting perspective Mr. Luthor, but still small consolation to those who lost their jobs." Raven replied diplomatically.

"Perhaps." Luthor replied, rising from his chair. "I'm afraid that I must leave now, as I have urgent matters to attend. Thank you for joining me. Please feel free to linger as long as you like while you finish your meal."

Luthor exited the room through a side door that led to a control room. He had been gathering all sorts of sensory data on the Titans while they were in the dining room. He retrieved a flash memory module from the console and placed in his pocket before heading for the roof where a helicopter awaited him.

Back in the dining room the Titans looked at each other with puzzled faces.

"I don't know about you guys, but I'm not hungry." Beast Boy said as he rose from his place at the table.

The others agreed and they left together escorted off the premises by Mr. Gantry, and headed back to the Tower.

_**-( - )-**_

Cyborg was disappointed with what his sensors detected in the LuthorCorp factory, which other than a tire factory was nothing. He and Nightwing reviewed the results several times, searching for something that they might have overlooked, but found nothing. Nightwing's expression was grim, as he couldn't accept that Luthor wasn't up to something.

"There's no way he's just making tires there. He must have shielded the secret part of his factory from us. It's gotta be why he invited us in, so we could see there is nothing else going on there and leave him alone." Nightwing frowned.

"Dick, what if it's really just a tire factory?" The bionic Titan asked "I mean, it could be that."

Nightwing shook his head. "No way, it's too low tech for LuthorCorp, it has to be a front."

The two sat in silence, reviewing the results yet another time, not even sure what they were looking for in the mountains of sensor logs.

"So what do we do next?" Cyborg asked.

Nightwing already had an answer for him.

"We're going to have to go back in and search the place, this time without an escort."

Cyborg chuckled. "Breaking and entering? That's not our style Dick, plus it's illegal."

"Think of it as espionage, Cyborg."

Cyborg frowned, as he didn't like where this was going. Was Nightwing replacing his old obsession with Slade with a new obsession with Lex Luthor?

"And how do we keep from being discovered? My sensors did detect hundreds of alarms systems and sensors. We wouldn't get more than 5 feet into that factory without all hell breaking loose."

"Doesn't that kind of protection in a tire factory strike you as odd, Cyborg?"

"Well now that you mention it, sure, it seems excessive. But you didn't answer my question. How do we get in without setting off the alarms? And don't ask me to disable them, because I can't. There are too many of them and they're too sophisticated."

Nightwing hesitated before answering. "We'll send Raven in."

Cyborg gave him a dirty look. "You're kidding, right? You know she isn't ready to go on a mission like that, especially by herself. I thought you swore that there would be no more solo missions like that anymore. And BB won't stand for it either; he's become very protective of her."

"I was thinking she could send her soul self into the factory, the sensors shouldn't detect her."

"And what if they do? Sure she could zip right out of there, but it would be a PR disaster for us. I can already see the headlines: 'Titans Involved in Industrial Espionage!' It wouldn't be good Dick."

"It's a risk we're gonna have to take."

"Yeah, whatever. All I can say is good luck getting Beast Boy and Raven to agree."

_**-( - )-**_

Raven and Beast Boy were getting ready to settle in for the night. Alfred had restored Raven's room to its former spooky and creepy glory, which now even the sorceress herself found a bit over the top. She and Beast Boy brightened up the room a bit, replacing some of Raven's possessions with a few of Beast Boy's. Raven told him that she would not tolerate their room being dirty and she was constantly on his case for not picking up after himself. Slowly he improved in that regard, but she knew she still had her work cut out.

Beast Boy had just taken a shower as he had gotten dirty that afternoon chasing a mugger through a mud field. Even after morphing back into his human form he was still dirty. He emerged from the bathroom in time to catch Raven slipping a nightgown over her head. He ran up to the bed, sliding to a stop as he ripped his towel off and slipped into the bed au natural.

"What's with the textiles, Rave? The green love machine is waiting for you!"

Raven rolled her eyes, yet acquiesced to his round about suggestion of disrobing before getting into bed.

"That's more like it, baby!" he said as he drew her into a lusty embrace.

She pushed back from his hug.

"Hang on Gar, there's something I want to talk with you about first."

"Fire away, doll face!" the happy changeling replied.

Raven flinched internally at the new pet name, but said nothing about it, knowing that he would have a new one by tomorrow to replace it.

"We haven't talked about family planning." She said.

"What?" was the only word to come out of his surprised mouth.

"You know, like when do we start having children and how many?"

Much to Raven's relief he replied the following.

"I haven't really thought about that. I suppose that it wouldn't happen until we retire as Titans, or at least until we're older."

"How much older?"

"I dunno, I guess we'll know when the time is right I suppose."

"And how many?" she asked him nervously.

He seemed surprised at her impromptu interrogation, but continued to go along.

"I suppose we could start with one."

Raven pushed him onto his back, climbing on top of him with a smile on her face.

"Good answer." She remarked as she turned off the light.


	26. Chapter 26

The sun was peeking over the horizon as Dick turned on the coffee machine, waiting impatiently for the fresh brew to begin dripping into the pot. He paced around the common room, wearing just his pajama bottoms as watched sun slowly rise. He heard the sliding doors open and saw that it was the Titan's other bird who entered. She was wearing a nightgown and like him she was barefoot.

"Where's Gar, still asleep?" he asked while his never resting detective eyes noticed that just like him, she had not slept in what she was wearing.

"Duh" she replied sleepily. "Can I have some of your coffee?"

"If you're still sleepy maybe you should go back to bed." He suggested.

"I feel restless. And Gar will get up once he realizes I'm gone. It's the only way to make him get up in the morning."

Dick chuckled. "So what's on your mind? You think Luthor's hiding something?"

The gray sorceress sighed. "If only it were something that simple."

"What's the matter, Raven? You look disturbed, or at least more than you usually do." He joked as he poured two cups of coffee, handing one to Raven.

"Very funny Dick, keep cracking jokes like that and maybe I will go back to bed."

"Sorry, but kidding aside, what's on your mind?"

She blew on her cup before taking a sip. "Babies"

"Babies?"

"Gar wants to have children."

"So does Star." He commented between sips of coffee.

"And?"

"And I told her that we would, someday."

"That's what I told Gar last night."

"Where's the time gone Raven? It seems like we were just barely teenagers yesterday. And now we're married and our spouses want to have children. I don't know how much longer I can convince Star to wait."

"I have an even bigger problem." She moaned.

"You do? What is it?"

"What if I can't have children? I'm not fully human, Dick, I'm only half human. There's a good chance I might be sterile."

Dick's cup slipped from his hand, shattering as it hit the floor.

"Raven, are you sure about that? Have you seen a doctor?"

"No Dick, I'm not sure. And I'm afraid to see a doctor, I'm afraid to find out."

"Raven, he needs to know."

"You think I don't know that!? But what do I do if I am barren? What do I tell him?"

Dick could tell that there was something more going on with Raven, more than met the eye.

"You tell him the truth. He'll understand. Why are you so worried?"

"I know it's irrational, but I'm afraid if he finds out he'll divorce me. And he can, there is an escape clause in Azarathian law that would allow him to legally divorce me."

Dick stared at her, considering his next words very carefully.

"You're right about one thing Raven. Your fear is completely irrational. Beast Boy will never abandon you, why would he?"

"Because I'm a murderer and now I can't have any children." She sobbed lightly as she stood up and began to walk away.

Dick was surprised, as he had never seen Raven in this kind of state. He ran after her, grabbing her wrist to stop her.

"You're not a murderer; get that out of your mind, OK?"

"No Dick, I am a murderer. I enjoyed killing them; I took delight in their screams, their pleas for mercy."

This was news for Nightwing, who was now very troubled. It didn't matter, he told himself. Raven had been pardoned for her crime of passion. Still he was disturbed that his good friend, a friend he loved like a sister, had done such a terrible thing.

"That's in the past. It happened in another dimension, you weren't yourself." He rationalized.

Raven softly shook her head, while staring at the floor, her face consumed with sorrow.

"I was my true self when that happened. Why would he not divorce me, Dick? Tell me."

"Because he loves you, he loves you more than life itself. Would you divorce him if the tables were turned?"

Raven began to weep "No, I wouldn't." her voice trembled. She threw her arms around Dick and he returned his own comforting, soothing embrace.

"Go back to bed Raven, and when he wakes up talk to him. You have nothing to worry about. Even if you are barren he won't replace you. Terra is not even on his radar, if that's what you're worried about."

Raven nodded as he wiped away her tears. She kissed him on the cheek.

"Thank you friend, thank you."

"Anything for my little sis" he replied as he returned the kiss.

_Damn, I'm getting good at this people stuff. I gotta tell Bruce!_

_**-( - )-**_

"Have the upgrades been installed Max?"

"Yes Mr. Luthor. Based on the data we collected on Titans the new security system is fool proof. There is no way they can breach our barriers without being detected. Not even the sorceress, sir."

"Are you sure Max? If you're wrong I'm holding you fully accountable. Our secret must be preserved."

"You have my word ,Mr. Luthor"

_**-( - )-**_

The aroma of bacon and eggs filled common room as one by one the Titans wandered in, drawn by the delicious aroma. The table had been set and there platters full of scrambled eggs, bacon, sausage, hash browns and pan cakes. Mas Y Menos where the first to be drawn in by the tempting aromas.

"Que rico! Huevos, tocino y otros manjares! Que estamos celebrando?"

"Just making a nice brunch for my team." Nightwing replied as the rest of Titans filed in, their stomachs suddenly growling.

Beast Boy and Raven arrived last, hand in hand, their fingers interlaced. Raven looked very relaxed and happy, unlike a few hours earlier when she had been crying on Dick's shoulder.

"So how are you two lovebirds this morning?" He cheerfully asked the couple, noticing that they were wearing the wedding bands Starfire had given to them some weeks earlier. Raven leaned over and kissed him on the cheek a second time.

"We're fine, Dick." He replied as he squeezed Raven's hand even tighter.

"Have a seat before the food gets cold." He cheered them on before sitting down next to Starfire.

After the brunch was consumed Nightwing got down to business. He explained to the team that it was necessary to gather more information on whatever was really going on inside of LuthorCorp's "tire factory". He had a PowerPoint presentation ready and displayed it on the giant TV screen so the Titans could see it from the table. He went over the layout of the plant, the sensors that Cyborg had detected, dangerous spots and likely locations worth exploring.

"Richard, there's no way anyone could sneak in there undetected." Starfire complained.

"I can." Raven announced. "I can send my soul self in there, it shouldn't trigger any alarms unless someone actually sees me with their eyes."

Beast Boy leaped to his feet. "No way, Rave! You're not going in there alone. You can forget it!"

"Garfield, you're being unreason…"

"I said no Raven. 'N', 'O', No!"

Then to everyone's surprise Raven replied "Well, what do you suggest we do then?"

They had been expecting Raven to tell Beast Boy that he couldn't boss her around and that she could take of herself, to can the macho bullshit, etc. Maybe even send him to another dimension as punishment. But none of that happened.

"I'll go with you." He replied. His arms were crossed in an unneeded gesture of defiance. It wasn't easy being married to the most powerful and bad tempered of the Titans. Even to this day his teammates wondered if he understood what he had gotten himself into by tying the knot with the mysterious sorceress.

"Sounds reasonable to me. We did agree that there wouldn't be any more solo missions, so I can't object now, right?"

"I guess not." Nightwing replied. "The mission will be tonight. I'll go over the plan with you two this afternoon."

_**-( - )-**_

It was now 1:00 AM and the Titans had set up an observation post near the LuthorCorp plant in an empty office building. Cyborg set up dozens of telescopes and all sorts of eavesdropping devices. The plan was for Raven to send her soul self into the plant while Beast Boy would infiltrate as a small animal, maybe even an insect. Once inside they would search for any secret rooms and levels they might find. The plan was to be inside no more than 10 minutes, less if possible. At the first sign of trouble they would retreat. This last part made Raven nervous, as she knew that while her soul self could easily escape, Gar might be caught in trap. They would have to be very careful. Raven set up a telepathic link between herself and Gar, so they could communicate without making sound.

It was now time to infiltrate the factory. After their friends wished them luck Raven got into the lotus position and within a moment her soul self emerged from her now inert body, which during her soul self's absence was technically an empty shell. Beast Boy morphed into a sparrow. The two flew out a window and headed straight for the factory. They passed the front gate undetected and circled the facility searching for a good entrance for Beast Boy. The best thing they found was a door missing its weather stripping. Beast Boy turned into a bug and crawled under the door, while Raven's soul self passed through it. Once inside Beast Boy turned into a cat and they began to explore according to the plan Nightwing had made. The first place to check was a large structure, the size of a small office building that was inside the main plant building. It had no windows and only a few doors, made of thick steel. Cyborg's sensors had been unable to penetrate the structure yesterday, which made it highly suspicious.

_Can you find a way in Gar?_

_No I can't. This sucker is sealed tighter than a submarine._

_I'm gonna have to go in by myself then. Don't worry, I'll be fine._

_OK, just be careful!_

Raven's soul self began to penetrate the structure's external wall when the lights came on and klaxons began to blare. She was then hit by a surge of energy when surrounded her and captured her in a glowing sphere of power. Beast Boy began to panic, knowing that if her soul self did not return to her body within an hour that she would die. He morphed into an Apatosaurus and tried to smash the imprisoning sphere, which at first resisted his attempts but finally yielded to his massive legs and dissolved in a pop, discharging all its energy into Beast Boys dinosaur body. It was now Raven's turn to panic as Gar collapsed unconscious, returning to his human form. In her soul self state there was little she could do to help him, except maybe regain consciousness, which he did as several men approached, armed with strange energy weapons.

_Run Rae, you can't help me, and if they capture you again I can't help you either. Go get help. Hurry!_

Raven knew he was right and even though it ripped her heart in half she obeyed him and went for help. The last thing she saw was Gar being zapped by those cruel weapons and once again losing consciousness.


	27. Chapter 27

Cyborg leaped from the portable console, his single human eye inflamed with alarm as the console had lit up like a Christmas tree. The energy readings coming out of the factory were off the scale. Then there were the sounds of what sounded like plasma rifles firing. Nightwing's suspicions had been confirmed.

"Tire factory my ass!" he grumbled. "Where are they; Cy,; are they OK?"

"I can't see any sign of Raven's soul self. It's like she vanished into thin …" he was interrupted by the sound of a loud explosion coming from inside the factory. "…. Wait, she's back, but now something's wrong with BB."

"We must go and help our friends!" Starfire pleaded.

Just as Nightwing was ready to give the order to storm the factory, Raven's soul self phased through the wall and back into her body, which reanimated itself with a jerk as Raven fell forward, landing on all fours. She opened her mouth and the only word she was able to croak out was "Gar".

"Raven, are you OK?" A worried Starfire asked.

The sorceress nodded and stood up.

"They captured me in some kind of energy field, and Gar rescued me before they shot him with some kind of energy weapons." She said in a shaky voice, struggling to keep her composure. She would not lose control, not this time.

"Oh Raven, you would have died had they kept your soul self imprisoned too long." Starfire sobbed.

"Gar risked everything to save me. We have to go in there and rescue him now!" she begged.

Nightwing made a snap decision. This time the enemy would not get a chance to harm Beast Boy.

"Titans Go!" he shouted, not realizing that this was the first time since returning from Azarath that he had used his trademark battle cry.

The Titans stormed out of their hideout and headed straight for the plant's gates, not knowing what to expect. The women flew overhead, Starfire's eyes were glowing bright green and she had already conjured oversized star bolts ready to hurl at the enemy. Bumblebee's hand held stingers were fully charged, bristling with energy while Raven was completely encased in obsidian light which crackled around her body like black flames as her eyes glowed white. Nightwing ran towards the gate, his bo staff already extended and with birdarangs already in his other hand. Cyborg ran beside him, his sonic cannon already deployed.

Mas Y Menos had already reached the main entrance to the plant, running ahead of the others. What they saw was not what they expected. The front gates were wide open and Lex Luthor stood at the entrance, surrounded by armed guards. His face betrayed no semblance of emotion; he stood there impassively until all the Titans had arrived at the gate.

"I believe I have something that belongs to you." He said as he snapped his fingers. The crowd of guards opened up and two huge goons made their way through the crowd. As they reached the gate the Titans could see that they were dragging Beast Boy's unconscious figure, holding him by his underarms. They released him and he fell to the ground. Raven bolted to him, examining him for any injuries.

"He is undamaged, Mrs. Logan; as he was only stunned. He'll have a terrible headache tomorrow, but otherwise he's fine." Luthor remarked. "And we would have only kept you imprisoned for a few minutes, as I am fully aware of the time limitations of your soul self projection."

Raven looked at Nightwing, confirming what Luthor had just said. Beast Boy was unharmed.

Luthor continued. "The next time you wish to enter my factory as uninvited guests, I suggest you bring a search warrant. Until then, good night." He abruptly turned away and left as his goons closed and locked the gates.

Nightwing was furious. Luthor played them as a bunch of amateurs. The whole situation was a setup. He knew they would be coming. How could he have been so stupid and not seen the trap? He now realized that there was probably nothing inside the impervious structure, it had been bait to lure them in. It was one thing go up against villains like Control Freak or Mumbo. Luthor was in a league of his own. While Kal-El had been able to foil many of his plots the Kryptonian was never able to actually build a case against the bald genius, who was always acquitted of his crimes. Luthor would no doubt use the media to humiliate the Titans, publicly exposing their illegal entry into his tire factory, effectively neutralizing them as foes.

It was time to go home and lick their wounds.

"I'm sorry team; I've made a fool out of all of us and let you down. Let's just go home." He said, defeat clearly present in his voice.

_**-( - )-**_

It was 2:00 AM by the time Titans got back to the Tower. In addition to being humiliated they were exhausted. Richard and Starfire said hasty good nights and disappeared off to their room. Raven took her still unconscious husband back to their room after mumbling good night to everyone. Bumblebee and the twins simply vanished without saying anything, leaving Terra and Cyborg to deal with putting all the equipment away, which they did in silence until she spoke up.

"Well that sucked, I never felt so stupid in all my life."

"You mean even stupider than when you let Slade sucker you in?"

Terra frowned at her bionic friend. "That was low ,Cy. That hurt." She said in a low voice.

He immediately looked remorseful. "I know. Sorry. I'm just in a lousy mood. It sucks being a fifth wheel ya know?"

"Tell me about it. You never did buy me that lunch you promised me on Azarath."

"There's a reason for that. Azarathian food sucks. Wanna go the CJ's barbeque tomorrow? Now that's food."

"Are you asking me out for a date?"

Cyborg pondered her question before answering. "OK, I'm asking you out on a date."

"You got one." She replied. "But beware, I LOVE barbeque."

Cyborg chuckled. "So do I. I'll bring extra cash."

"It's OK, I'll pay for my own."

_**-( - )-**_

Nightwing woke up early, dreading the day that was waiting for him. His only consolation was the gorgeous princess who was wrapped around him in a tight embrace. She was beginning to stir and he kissed her gently as she finished waking up.

"Greetings" she said softly "did you sleep well, my husband?"

"How could I not if I was with you?" he replied as he drew her closer to him.

"Have you contacted Galfore?" he changed the subject.

"Not yet. Do you think this is a good time to have the wedding on Tamaran? What about Lex Luthor?"

"I'm going to let the Justice League handle him. We've lost all credibility regarding Luthor anyway. I'm surprised the mayor hasn't called yet to chew us out for what happened last night."

Starfire nodded gravely "It was not the Titan's finest moment."

"Yeah, well it's not our problem anymore. I'll contact Kal-El after breakfast. Shall we?"

The couple got out of bed and put their pajamas back on before heading to the kitchen, where they found Beast Boy and Raven sharing a quiet breakfast together. The newspaper was lying on the table, disassembled as Raven was reading the international news section while Beast Boy read the funnies. The front page was lying on the floor, clearly having been tossed aside.

"Good morning" Raven mumbled between spoonfuls of oatmeal. "Don't bother reading the front page; it'll just make your blood pressure go up. Way up."

"What's the Cliff Notes version?" Richard asked.

"That we're a bunch of immature vigilantes out to get poor Lex Luthor." Beast Boy grumbled as he shoved another spoonful of Captain Crunch into his mouth.

Raven interrupted. "The mayor called at 6:00 AM. He's put us on administrative leave. We can't even arrest muggers now." She droned in her monotone, which she now only did when she was really pissed. "Gar and I are going to Catalina Island for a couple of days, if that's OK with you. We figured you wouldn't mind."

"Sure, go ahead, you've earned it. Once you get back plan on a trip to Tamaran" he replied. "How're you feeling Beast Boy?"

"Like a truck hit me. It's worse than that hangover I had on Tamaran. I don't know what they shot me with, but it sure was nasty." He moaned as Raven cleared their dishes, rinsing them before putting them in the dishwasher.

"C'mon Gar, let's get ready for Catalina." She took his hand and led him away.

"Don't call us unless it's an emergency." Beast Boy shouted at Richard as they walked out the sliding doors.

"Don't call even if it is an emergency." Raven corrected him as the doors slid shut.

Richard picked up the front page and glanced at it before tossing it back on the floor.

"Let's go out for breakfast, I don't feel like cooking." He groaned.

She wrapped her arms around his waist and pulled him close. "Mmmm, let's go to the Waffle Factory."

"Sounds like a plan to me."

_**-( - )-**_

The Graysons breakfast expedition went well. They dressed in their civies and had not drawn attention to themselves in the restaurant. After their mid morning brunch they walked back to the Tower hand in hand, enjoying the fine mid spring California morning as they walked leisurely back home. As soon as they were back they rode the elevator to the common room. When the doors slid open the sight that greeted them was unexpected.

Raven and Beast Boy were seated on their couch with their arms crossed and annoyed expressions on their faces. Cyborg and Terra were playing some car racing video game, Need for Speed 69 or something inane like that, while Bumble Bee and the Twins were seated in the 3rd sectional couch, looking bored. The whole situation seemed off. The Logans should have already left for Catalina.

"Dudes! Where were you?" Beast Boy called to them. "Didn't you take your communicators with you?"

"We left them at home, as we are all off duty and we wished to have some quality time." Starfire replied. "Raven, why haven't you and Beast Boy left yet?"

Raven pointed towards the kitchen, where Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman and The Green Lantern were waiting with impatient looks on their faces.

"Bruce, if you've come to chew us out, then get it over with. Raven and Gar have a hotel room waiting …"

"Their reservation has been cancelled, Dick." The Dark Knight responded.

"What? You can't punish them for my mistake. Raven, Gar, get going. You've earned your R and R."

Raven shook her head. "We've been reinstated Dick. The Justice League talked to the mayor."

"Who thinks we are getting set straight by the Justice League." Beast Boy explained.

Richard turned to the 4 senior Justice League members. "So why are you here?"

"Lex Luthor of course." Diana replied.

"So he is up to something!" Richard exclaimed triumphantly.

"We were in the local Bat Cave monitoring his factory. Your little break in worked great for us as it distracted Luthor from detecting our own research, which proved most fruitful." Batman explained.

"So what is the evil Luthor doing in his factory?" Starfire asked.

"Inter dimensional portals." The Green Lantern explained. "While the tire factory is very profitable, it is indeed a front. He is engaged in illegal research and we still don't know what he intends to do with it."

"So what do we do next?" Terra asked. "We can't get in there without a warrant and after last night's fiasco I can't think of a single judge who would issue one to the Titans."

"Lucky for you, the Justice League has connections." Kal-El said as he produced an envelope and handed it to Nightwing, who opened it and read it quickly.

"You really must have connections, how did you get this so soon?" he asked.

"You'll know after you're all inducted into the League" Batman replied. "You too Raven. Of course you'll all be junior members at first, but that won't be for long."

The Titans were speechless, as they had not expected this. When the 4 senior super heroes arrived Raven and Beast Boy were getting ready leave for Catalina, and Batman curtly told them to put their bags away. Raven was tempted to tell him to frak himself, but she promised herself to control her temper, plus the presence of 3 other very powerful members of the League slightly intimidated her. She had never met Wonder Woman or the Green Lantern, and had wisely chosen to keep her mouth shut.

Terra wondered if the invitation was extended to her as well. She cleared her throat, preparing herself to ask the question.

"I'm sorry Miss Markov, but at this time the invitation is only extended to the 5 original Titans." Superman replied, as if he had read her mind.

Terra nodded sadly, and Bumblebee and Mas Y Menos looked sad as well.

Kal-El continued. "Don't be discouraged, there will be other opportunities for the four of you."

Meanwhile, Beast Boy could no longer contain himself. "Dude! That's awesome. We're members of the Justice League!"

Superman smiled at the changeling's exuberance. And all eyes were on Beast Boy.

"From now on my new hero name is Changeling!" he exuded.

"What? Not Beast Man?" The Dark Knight teased him.

"He's been thinking about this for a long time." Raven revealed. "We both agreed that he needs an identity that's separate from the Doom Patrol. And I've designed him a new costume, which is very cool looking if you ask me. We should be getting the first ones from the tailor in a few days."

Raven noticed that Wonder Woman was staring at her and Gar.

"I'm sorry, Raven" the Amazon apologized "It's just that you and Garfield are so young. I just can't believe you're married."

Raven was tempted to reply 'And I can't believe that at your age you're not', but once again exerted self control.

"Gar and I have found our married life to be very fulfilling." She replied diplomatically instead. "As I'm sure that Starfire and Richard have as well."

The Tamaranian Princess nodded in approval.

"Now you're making me feel bad for keeping Lois waiting all these years." Kal-El joked.

"She does have the patience of a Saint, Clark" Diana ribbed him. Which drew laughter from everyone.

Bumblebee stood up. "So what do we do next?"She asked.

"We pay Mr. Luthor a visit." Batman replied.


	28. Chapter 28

As Nightwing discussed the plan for inspecting the factory with the four justice leaguers Raven stole away and caught up with Cyborg, who was on his way to his workshop, to make preparations for the upcoming raid. She had sent Beast Boy off an errand to their room.

"Cyborg, I need to ask you a favor."

"Anything for my favorite sorceress." He replied with a smile. "But we need to make it quick. I'm taking Terra out to lunch before we raid the factory. What is it?"

"I need you to run a test on me."

"Really? What kind of test?"

"I'll tell you when we get to the infirmary." She replied "It's kind of private."

"Are you OK?"

"If you're asking me if I'm sick then the answer is no."

"You aren't preggers are you?"

"It has something to do with that." She replied evasively. "Please, Vic, let's not talk about this until we get to the infirmary."

"No problem." He replied with a smile. _Man, the grass stain's gonna faint! He hasn't said a thing; he probably doesn't have a clue!_

After a brisk and silent walk to the infirmary Cyborg walked to a cabinet and retrieved an over the counter pregnancy test from a glass cabinet. Raven hadn't noticed as she looked around at all of the equipment. The infirmary was a cold, sterile place for her, one that wasn't associated with positive memories. She had learned to hide her emotions well and no one really knew how much she hated the place, as it was full of bad memories. There was the time a mugger shot Best Boy, long before they were a couple. It was the first time a Titan was wounded by gunfire and she had been terrified that he would die, even after she had partially healed him.

"Raven, here's the pregnancy test kit" Cyborg repeated, drawing her back to the present.

"Oh, sorry." She took it absentmindedly before realizing what it was and putting it down on the counter.

"I'm sorry Vic, that's not what I came for. I need a fertility test."

Cyborg nodded knowingly and went back to the cabinet and retrieved a saliva sample collector, which looked like an oversize cotton swab. He opened the sterilized packaging and pulled it out by its base.

"Open wide." He instructed her and took the sample from her mouth. He then walked over to a new machine in the infirmary and inserted the swab into a receptacle in the device, after which he sat down at the analyzer's console and began to tap on its keys.

"First I'm going to see if your DNA is compatible with ours." He informed her.

After a few minutes the analysis was complete and a report was printed. He picked it up and read it carefully before handing it to Raven who also took her time reading the report's details. When she was done reading she folded it up and placed it into one of the segments in her "belt", which opened up revealing a compartment. A tear slowly ran down her cheek.

"Well, I guess I don't have worry about contraception anymore." She said bitterly.

"I'm so sorry Raven, I wish there was something I could do."

She nodded, her eyes closed tight, sniffling. "Thanks Vic. I know. I'd better go now and tell Gar." She phased through the floor and disappeared.

Cyborg was alone in the infirmary. He picked up the unused pregnancy test kit and put it back in the glass cabinet.

"It's not fair." He grumbled "It just isn't fair. Of all people, why her?"

_**-( - )-**_

Raven phased into their bedroom as Beast Boy peaked under their bed. He saw her out of the corner of his eye.

"I can't find it Rae, I've looked everywhere."

She ran up to him and threw her arms around him.

"Whoa! What's the matter Rae?"

"I'm sorry, there's no missing book. I sent you on a wild goose chase while I was in the infirmary."

Beast Boy's eyes widened in concern "Are you sick? You can't be. You never get sick."

She ran her fingers through his thick green hair, still looking sorrowful.

"I'm ok, it's just …."

She opened her belt compartment and handed him the print out. "Here, just read this."

His eyes darted across the paper quickly and as soon as he was done he dropped it.

"Oh Rave!" he sobbed as he threw his arms around her and embraced her tightly.

"I'm sorry Gar, I'm so sorry!" she whimpered.

"It' not your fault babe, don't cry." He assured her.

"If you want to divorce me now, I'll understand …" she whispered.

He looked at her crossly. "Don't be ridiculous." He scolded her. "I'll always be yours, no matter what."

"Thank you, I needed to hear that."

_**-( - )-**_

Cyborg and Terra were heading back to the Tower from CJ's Barbeque. Cyborg was very quiet during their date, clearly brooding over something that was bothering him. Terra let him be, she knew him well enough to know that he didn't like to be questioned. Still her curiosity was getting the best of her. It had been a date after all, and to be honest it had royally sucked. She felt she was entitled to an explanation.

"What's wrong Cy? You didn't say a word during our date. I've been to funerals that were more fun."

"I'm sorry, there's some bad news in the Tower, and I can't tell you what it is."

"Is about you?"

"I wish." He replied. "But I really can't tell you. I would be violating someone's privacy."

"It's about Raven, isn't it? I saw her walk with you to the infirmary."

"Like I said, I can't tell you anything Terra, it would be unethical." He raised his voice.

"You found out she's sterile, right?"

Cyborg's mouth fell open. "What? How? Were you spying on us?" he asked angrily.

"Slade told me, a long time ago."

"How the hell would he know that?!" he shouted.

"Interesting choice of words, Cy. Yes, Hell had something to do with it. Trigon told him."

"Sonnofabitch!" Cyborg growled. "That bastard made her sterile! He could have given her a human genome if he wanted, but he made her a hybrid on purpose."

"That's what Slade said."

"Terra, you can't tell this to anyone. Raven and BB will tell the others when they're ready. Please promise me…"

She put her finger on his lips.

"Relax! I know better than that!" She said as she took his artificial hand, which felt cold and hard to her touch.

"Hey Cy."

"Yeah?"

"You should make yourself some hands that feel more natural."

"Why?"

"For dates. Trust me; you'll never get to second base with any girl with these manacles." She giggled.

He looked shocked for a moment, surprised by her risqué remark.

"Wanna go on another date?" He asked "I'll make it up to you, I promise!"

"Sure, but no promises regarding second base."

"Hey! I am a gentleman first and foremost." He said as he did a bad impression of Alfred Pennyworth.

"You'd better be!" she joked.

_**-( - )-**_

The combined team of heroes had assembled at the factory's main gate at 4:00 PM. The media was present, perhaps tipped off by a clerk in the judge's office. Max Gantry had approached the gate, and looked very upset.

"Mr. Luthor will not tolerate this kind of harassment. Don't think that just because you're a bunch of freakish super heroes that you'll get away with this. I have already contacted our lawyers. You will be held responsible for this, I assure you!"

Superman ripped the gates open as Batman shoved the search warrant into Gantry's hands. The heroes entered the factory grounds and headed straight for the mystery structure inside the still non operational factory.

"Stop! Don't do anything to that building!" Gantry shouted.

"Why not? What's in there?" Nightwing barked at the bureaucrat.

"We aren't sure, we think it's some kind of inter-dimensional portal, but we really don't know. It was here when we bought the factory, just much smaller. It's grown a lot since then. Mr. Luthor has been studying it, but even he admits it's now out of his control!"

As he said this the concealing structure began to shudder violently before disintegrating. The portal was unlike anything the Titan's had ever seen before, looking nothing like Raven's portals. It looked like a miniature tornado that was completely black, its vortex pivoting around, as if looking for something.

"Rae, what is that?" Gar asked her, completely awestruck.

"It's a portal into Hell." She replied breathlessly. "We should get out of here now!"

Her warning was too late as the vortex tilted in her direction. Before she knew what happened she was being drawn into the vortex, unable to pull away. Gar grabbed her arm, trying to hold her back, but to no avail. Before they knew it half of Raven's body was already in the vortex, but strangely Beast Boy's body couldn't pass through it. He morphed into a gorilla, using his super human strength to hold on to his wife, but the vortex's draw was irresistible as it slowly but steadily drew Raven into its hungry maw. Soon all that was left of her in this dimension was her hand, which Beast Boy gripped with all his might. It appeared that a stalemate had been reached and Starfire came to his aid, also pulling as hard as she could. Several tendrils emerged from the vortex and knocked the two heroes away just as Kal-El stepped up to help. Raven's hand disappeared into vortex. With a loud bang the portal vanished without a trace.

"RRAAAAVVVEEEENNN!" Beast Boy screamed at the top of his lungs.

_**-( - )-**_

It was now 11:00 PM and the mood at the Tower was frantic as the heroes scrambled to figure out what had happened earlier. Cyborg gave Beast Boy some tranquilizers when they got back and put him to bed. There was nothing he could do in his mental state to help.

Batman, Superman and Cyborg were poring over sensor logs, desperately seeking a clue of where the portal had taken Raven. They had heard her say that it was a portal to hell, but that wasn't that useful of a clue. For one thing, no one knew which dimension hell resided in, if it even resided in any dimension at all. The question that raced through all their minds was whether they would ever see her again. The truth was that it seemed hopeless, and while no one wanted to admit it first, they all thought the same thing: she was lost forever.

Beast Boy had been sleeping in fits, as the tranquilizers could only do so much. Plus his advanced metabolism already neutralized their effect. He was jolted awake by the sound of a loud bang, which was heard throughout the Tower. He leaped from the bed to his feet, once again confronting the black vortex.

"What have you done with her!" he screamed "Bring her back! She belongs to me!"

As if it had heard his demand the funnel cloud became swollen and ejected a figure clad in a blue hood and cape, which rolled on the floor ending up face down. With another bang the vortex once again vanished.

"Raven! Are you OK babe? Are you hurt?"

The figure leaped at Beast Boy and hugged him.

"I'm OK Gar, I'm OK!" she sobbed as she hugged him.

He hugged her back, his eyes closed, and tears dripping down his face.

"Thank God you're OK, oh thank God!" he sobbed.

The door to their room slid open and the Justice Leaguers and Titans ran into the room, relieved to see the couple in tender embrace. Raven had her back to them. Garfield lifted his head from her shoulder to give her a kiss and instead recoiled, falling on his rear, staring up at the figure standing in front of him.

She had a lightly tanned complexion and was taller than Starfire. Her hair and eyes were dark and the features on her face were Asian. She reminded Beast Boy of someone, but he wasn't sure who.

"Wh-o-o a-are you?" he stuttered. "And where's Raven?"

"Gar, it's me! Your wife, Raven."


	29. Chapter 29

Beast Boy continued to stare at the strange woman who towered over him. How dare she try to impersonate Raven, she doesn't even look like her, he thought as a grimace formed on his face.

"Like hell you are!"

He began to morph, and became an adult African lion, standing on its rears, claws extended, ready to strike at the woman. Before he could strike a figure flashed past him, tackling the mysterious woman and sending her tumbling. Starfire was on top of her, pinning her down.

"What have you done to my friend? Where is Raven? Tell me, or I will not be responsible for what will happen to you!" The Tamaranian roared.

"Starfire, you're hurting me!" Her voice was familiar.

"Where is Raven?!" she replied. "Tell me now or I will snap you in half!"

"It's me Star, you're hurting me! Stop!"

The lights in the room came on as the Princess jolted her prisoner up onto her feet. She moaned in pain and everyone was able to get a better look at her.

"Arella? What are you doing here?" Beast Boy asked as he recognized the woman trapped in Starfire's mighty hands.

"No Gar, it's me. Really, it's me."

Beast Boy gave her a confused look.

"Let her go Star." The Changeling ordered.

The woman rubbed her wrists, which were starting to bruise.

"Thanks Gar, I thought Star was going to pluck my arms off"

"Don't you 'Gar' me. Who the hell are you? You're not Arella, you're too young."

"I know I look different, and I can explain." She said as she sat down on the bed, still rubbing her sore wrists.

"Then you won't mind if I use this to check if you're lying." Batman said as he attacked a miniature lie detector to her skin.

"Sure Bruce, if that'll make you believe me."

"I see you know my name." he replied.

She rolled her eyes and pointed to each super hero with a secret identity.

"Clark Kent, Hal Jordan, Diana Prince, Dick Grayson, Karen Beecher, Victor Stone. I can't tell you who Mas Y Menos are because they've never told anyone their true identities.

"Ok, OK" Batman replied. "Let's begin. Who are you?"

"I'm Raven Logan"

"Why don't you look like Raven Logan?"

The woman sighed. She hoped they would believe her.

_**-( - )-**_

The force of the vortex was unbelievable; she couldn't resist its steady pull as it drew her in. Gar's face was the portrait of fear, as he pulled on her hand, trying to extract her from the vortex with no success. She could see out of the funnel as Gar morphed into a Gorilla pulling harder than ever. She worried that her hand might pop off at any moment; so great was the power of the portal. Her descent stopped and Starfire joined Gar in a last ditch attempt to pull her out, but in the end they failed as she slipped from their grasp.

Raven found herself falling into a dark void. She tried to levitate, but she continued to far for what felt like an eternity. Her heart was in her throat, for she knew where she was headed and she didn't want to get there. Unfortunately her destination was inevitable and she eventually landed with a thud on a hard surface. Her entire body ached as she stood up in the dark.

"OK, you got me! Show yourselves!"

Slowly the room lit up and Raven saw that she was surrounded by some of the most horrid beings in all of creation. They had once been the most beautiful beings ever, known by many names: Angels, the Valar, etc. That is until they rebelled against God, who cast them out of Heaven into the pits of Hell. A few, like Trigon, had escaped this banishment initially. Raven had personally sent him to this eternal prison, a prison with no escape, when she destroyed him a few years before.

"Welcome home mistress!" a vile devil welcomed her. Like her he was gray and had stands of purple hair splattered over his oily hide. Raven shuddered to see him. "We have been waiting for you."

"What do you want with me?" she snarled. "Why did you bring me here?"

"Isn't it obvious?" a familiar voice responded "We brought you here to claim what's ours, dear daughter."

Raven looked left and right, searching for the owner of the voice.

"Show yourself! I'm not afraid of you."

"We didn't bring you here to hurt you Raven; we brought you here to be our Queen!" Trigon roared.

"Are you insane? What makes you think that I would agree to this?"

"You really have no choice my dear. You are just as imprisoned here as we are. Or should I say that your demonic half is imprisoned here."

"No, that can't be! I'm not evil! Why should I be banished to hell?"

"You're not evil? That's news to me." A monotone voice accused her. "But don't take my word for it; ask Dr. Light or Madam Rouge. Trust me Raven, you're evil."

"Shut up Slade, you had it coming!" she barked at him.

"I rest my case." The man once known as Deathstroke taunted her. "We'll have a grand time together here, won't we Raven. But don't worry, I can be quite charming. I'll make you forget about that stupid green boy before you know it."

Raven's heart was pounding in panic. She was never going to see Gar again, never. Tears began forming in her eyes.

"I'll never be your Queen. But I'll make things here miserable, trust me."

"Yes Raven, we expected that. But do not worry; your father has a deal for you. A way out of here, if you will." Slade tempted her.

Raven felt her heart sink. What could Trigon have in mind?

"What do you want father?" she growled.

"All I want is what belongs to me, that which mine." He taunted her.

"Stop speaking in riddles!"

Trigon smiled. He was the size of a large human in his hell bound persona. Still red, with four eyes and his strange horns, he laughed.

"It's very simple dear daughter. I want to split you into two."

"What? Are you insane?"

"Not at all Raven. I will separate from you that part of yourself that belongs to me. You will no longer be a demoness and will be free to leave this realm."

"What's the catch? With you there always is one."

"You'll be a different person after we are done. You will miss what is taken from you, as much as you have hated it all your life."

"What will be left of me?"

"That which your mother gave you. You will be fully human." He replied, and grinned evilly before continuing.

"And you will be able to bear human children." He tempted her.

She knew that in her present state that she was as trapped in Hell as the rest of the demons and the condemned. Since she had no desire to spend eternity with her father and countless other demons, as well as Slade and the rest of the damned, she decided to accept his offer.

"Very well father, I accept your offer."

No sooner than she had said this she began to experience excruciating pain. She felt as if she was being ripped in half and she began to howl in pain. Of course he didn't tell her it would hurt, but why would he? Her vision became blurry and she felt as if life itself was being sucked out of her person. The pain became so intense that it overwhelmed her and she blacked out momentarily and fell to her knees. After what felt like an eternity, the pain began to subside and soon Raven had regained her vision. She saw a doppelganger of herself standing next to Trigon. Violet haired and gray skinned with 4 glowing red eyes, she smiled evilly.

"Rage!" Raven gasped.

"Surprised?" she asked. "You should be happy now, Rachael Roth, I will never torment you again. Now go back to that loser you call a husband." She taunted her. Rachael frowned. "Oh, don't take it personally, he has some good points. He is great in the sack, isn't he?"

Raven snarled, furious at the thought that this monster was present every time she made love with her husband, and had been able to taint every single memory of intimacy with him. Her only consolation was that she would get to make new, demon free memories. She already felt better, as if the weight of the world had been lifted from her shoulders.

"But before you go, have a look at what you've become." Rage held up a mirror for Rachael to see, and she gasped in surprised, as her appearance had changed.

"Arella?"

Rage continued to taunt her.

"You didn't just change on the outside. Your powers are gone my dear. Sure, you can still cast spells like a lowly mortal sorcerer, but that's it. No more levitating, no more dark energy, no more immunity to disease and no super strength. You're just a weak, mortal girl now. Enjoy!"

A dark vortex enveloped Rachael. She could hear Gar's voice: "Bring her back! She belongs to me!" and the next thing she knew she was back in her room.

_**-( - )-**_

"That's quite a tale." Batman remarked. "And the lie detector hasn't gone off. But do you have any proof that your story is true?"

Cyborg spoke up. "We can check her DNA. If she's human it won't match her old DNA, but there should be plenty of overlap."

"Let's head to the infirmary then." Nightwing ordered. "I want this settled now."

The crowd vacated the bedroom. Beast Boy walked next to the statuesque woman, who was a good 20 centimeters taller than him. He looked up at her nervously and she took his hand, giving it a tight squeeze. He still couldn't believe that this Amazon was his Raven.

_**-( - )-**_

The tests had confirmed that the stranger was indeed Raven, or at least what was left of her. It was now 3 AM and everyone was tired. Nightwing suggested that they all retire and get a good night's sleep. Everyone filed out of the infirmary, wishing each other a good night, until only Raven and Gar were left in the room.

"Gar, I'm sure that you're freaking out over this. I know that I am. Let's just get some sleep. Maybe Cyborg can figure out a way to make me look like my old self, but right now I need to be with you, I need you to hold me while we fall asleep. I need to know that everything is still OK with us."

He nodded. "Sure Rave, just bear with me. You've convinced me that you're in there, I just have to get used to Raven 2.0." he joked lightheartedly.

He took her now larger hand into his. Raven was attractive in her new form, but he knew that he would always miss her previous form. Especially her bosom, he now had noticed that she was almost flat chested. Oh well, you can't have everything, right?

Once they returned to their room Raven found the largest of her old nightgowns, which barely fit her now, put it on and slipped into the bed. Beast Boy had put on a full set of flannel pajamas, as if they were some sort of chastity belt and climbed into bed, turning out the light.

"What, no good night kiss?" she asked.

Gar leaned over to her and gave her a chaste kiss on the lips, which he decided wasn't all that bad. He followed up immediately with a deeper kiss which she immediately returned, after a few minutes of kissing he caressed her now less endowed chest, to which she replied with a deep moan. Deciding to throw caution to the wind he slipped his pajamas off, and as soon as he had done so he saw that she had done the same.

"Rage was right about one thing. You are a wonderful lover" she said as she pounced on him.


	30. Chapter 30

Dick sat down on the edge of the bed while Starfire was getting ready for the night. He sighed and rubbed his temples before removing his mask.

"Richard, why do you wear that thing all day when we're home? I remember when you used to sleep with your mask on."

Nightwing also remembered when he slept with his mask on. He only stopped doing so when Starfire threatened to not sleep with him until he removed it at night. And she never made idle threats either.

"I dunno, I guess I'll stop wearing it all the time." He surrendered to his orange beauty.

"Good." She said as she sat next to him. "Now tell me what's really bothering you."

"You mean you don't know?"

She frowned. "Well, if you don't want to tell me…"

"It's Raven. Star, what are we going to do with her? She's lost her powers and …"

"Why does that matter Richard? Is she not our friend?"

"But look at her; she now looks like her mom's twin sister."

"You once told me that it didn't matter what I looked like, and I looked like a monster when you told me that! Why are you picking on her?"

"I don't know." He moaned. "I guess too much has happened today and I'm feeling overwhelmed."

"Do not worry my prince, I am here with you."

"Prince? Tamaran!" he moaned "I had completely forgotten about the formal wedding. When is it?"

She frowned again. "It's next week!" she reminded him.

"Oh good, there's still time. But what are we going to do about Raven? I mean, I know we still love her no matter what, even if she isn't a Titan anymore, but how's she going to handle that?"

"She's still a sorceress. It's not as if she brings nothing to the team."

"But she's not a good sorceress Star. She's always relied far too much on her demonic powers in the past. And after the incident with Malchior she really backed off from pure magic. Think about it Star, she couldn't hold a candle to someone like Zatanna."

Starfire pondered what he said before responding. "Then maybe Zatanna should train her. We know that Raven has the talent. Maybe now that we are members of the Justice League Zatanna would take her on as an apprentice."

Dick paused before gazing into Starfire's green eyes. "Star! That's a great idea!"

"I'm not just a glinkshar murdoff, you know?"

"A pretty face?" he asked unsure of his knowledge of Tamaranian.

She laughed. "I see you have been studying."

He smiled back at her sheepishly.

"You know what? There is one good bit of news regarding Raven's transformation into a full human. She and Beast Boy can now have children."

"What? You mean they couldn't before? Why did I not know about this?"

"Raven suspected for some time that she was sterile because she was half human and half demon, and when Cyborg ran some tests the other day and confirmed her suspicion she took it very hard. She was going to share their bad news with the rest of the team, but now it's no longer the case."

"I am glad to hear this. I could tell that she was not happy with her new body. At least now she has something to rejoice over."

Dick nodded in agreement. "It is too bad that she lost her old look. I know that she didn't think she was pretty, but I guess she was used to being who she was."

Starfire yawned. It was now almost 3:30 AM.

"Yeah, let's get some sleep. I'll talk with Bruce about Zatanna in the morning." He said, also realizing that he need some shut eye as well.

Starfire slipped into the bed and beckoned him to join her. They snuggled together, preparing for a good night's rest. Within minutes they were both sound asleep.

_**-( - )-**_

The next morning Dick found Cyborg and Terra sharing an animated breakfast. He got up at 6 and had gone to speak with Bruce about Zatanna. The Dark Knight agreed that it was a good idea to have Raven train with the magician, adding that it would be good for the two magical Justice Leaguers to get to know each other better. Zatanna was one of the few to vote against Raven being admitted into the League, because of her demonic heritage. Now that it was no longer an issue Zatanna would have to drop her objections. Bruce promised Dick to contact Zatanna later that day.

Cyborg made the kind of breakfast that Beast Boy had nightmares about: fried eggs, pork sausage links, bacon and pork chops. Of course Nightwing and Batman had no objections to the menu and gladly joined the couple when they were invited. Dick had left Starfire undisturbed, allowing her to catch up on her sleep. She was a tough as steel wool, but did not handle sleep deprivation as well as humans could. She had once even fallen asleep while on a patrol, using a street light as a pillow.

Just as they were finishing their meal the Logans made their appearance. Nightwing had not had the chance to see them side by side and was shocked to see how Raven now dwarfed her not so tall husband. They were holding hands and looked happy. Dick saw a gleam in Garfield's eye.

_That sly dog, it didn't take him take long to warm up to her._ He wondered how he would have handled a similar situation if Starfire were to undergo some strange Tamaranian metamorphosis and change her appearance completely. If that were to happen, he wasn't sure he could sleep in the same bed with her. He could tell that the Logans had done more than just sleep last night.

"Good morning Logans!" Nightwing called out cheerfully.

"Good morning Richard." Raven responded. For some reason she had retained her unique voice, which while it was never his favorite feature about her he was nonetheless glad she had managed to keep it. It helped remind him that she was still Raven.

"Raven,BB, sit down. I'll make you some breakfast." Cyborg offered.

The couple gladly accepted and sat at the table as Cyborg returned to the kitchen.

"So how are you feeling Raven?" Terra asked.

"Pretty good actually!" she said as she glanced at Gar. "Different, but good. I have to admit that I miss my powers."

"Now that you mention it Raven, have you given any thought on what your new role will be on the team, now that your powers are gone." Nightwing asked, somewhat undiplomatically as both Raven's and Beast Boy's faces betrayed their displeasure at the remark.

"You don't need to remind me that I'm no longer a super hero, believe me, it's painfully obvious to me." She replied with a tinge of bitterness in her voice.

"Actually, I disagree with that conclusion. You are still a sorceress after all."

"I suppose, but if you recall I've been out magicked by Mumbo, who is a hack. I would be a third class superhero at best." She replied sadly.

"Maybe, but you have potential Raven, maybe if you trained with someone…" Batman interjected.

"With who?" she interrupted.

"We were thinking of Zatanna." Dick replied.

"Zatanna?" Cyborg boomed from the kitchen. "She's hated Raven from day one."

Raven harrumphed. "Cyborg's right. When we visited the Justice League she tried to exorcise me out the building!"

"But you're not a demoness anymore Raven. I'll explain the situation to her." Batman remarked.

"And you think she will listen to you? Why." Raven's face was the portrait of skepticism, and her crossed arms signaled that she wasn't buying Bruce's promises.

"Zatanna and I go back Raven, way back. She'll listen to me."

"I don't know Bruce; this is going to be hard for me."

"C'mon Rave, you don't want to stay behind in the Tower by yourself every time the alarm goes off, do you?' Beast Boy needled her.

"You don't need to remind me. I know it won't be pleasant. I suppose that I could take on a role like Barbara did when she became Oracle."

"Trust me Raven, if there had been anyway for Barb to continue participating in the field, she would have seized it. She's been great as Oracle, but she would do anything to wear the cowl and cape again, believe me. You should seriously consider this Raven and not let past experiences cloud your judgment. I know you can be a great sorceress Raven, you have the powerful mind that is needed for that." Batman encouraged her.

Raven nodded. "As always, you are right Bruce. Go ahead and contact Zatanna. I promise to put my best foot forward."

Beast Boy smiled approvingly at his wife. "You'll be the best, I just know it!"

"Ok, now that we got that out of the way, where's Star? I want to go to the mall with her as I need to buy new clothes. This leotard is the only thing I have that fits me right now."

"So what did you wear to bed last night Raven?" Cyborg teased her in a sing-song voice. "Just a big smile, perhaps?"

"Dude! That's not cool to ask!" Beast Boy protested.

"Yeah, but now I don't have to worry about Raven whacking me with her dark energy!" Cyborg laughed."And I can kick your butt anytime grass stain!"

Beast Boy smiled an evil smile. He had a new trick up his sleeve and now was the time to try it out. Without any warning he morphed into the monster from the movie 'Wicked Scary'. Cyborg's human eye grew huge and he backed away.

"BB, that's not cool man, knock it off!"

Beast Boy morphed back into his human for, and Raven hi-fived him and then took his hand.

"C'mon handsome, let's go back to our room."

"You bet!" he replied as they vanished through the sliding doors just as Cyborg has finished cooking their breakfast.

"Ah man, it's gonna get cold. Dick, why don't you take it to them?"

"Me? Forget it! If it's so important to you why don't you take it to them?"

Cyborg threw the uneaten meals into the trash.

"Yeah right, like I'm gonna knock on their door and say 'Stop whatever you're doing in there, cuz I brought your breakfast!' It ain't gonna happen, man. If they get hungry later, they can come back and make their own breakfast."


	31. Chapter 31

Raven and Starfire were gone all afternoon and it was getting close to 7 PM and they were still not back. Nightwing called Starfire several times already and she kept telling him that they would be home soon. After the last call she told her husband that she and Raven would eat dinner at the mall. As Nightwing closed his communicator Cyborg picked up the phone to order some pizza.

"The mall closes at 9. They should be home by then." Terra consoled the guys, who just shrugged.

"It could have been worse; at least they didn't ask you to come with them!" Terra reminded them, and they all reacted with a collective shiver. The one thing they all liked about Terra was that she was a tomboy and wasn't into all the "girly crap" as Cyborg called it. In fact she asked Starfire and Raven to pick a dress for her to wear to the formal wedding on Tamaran. Terra wouldn't be caught dead at the shopping mall.

She had been playing GameStation with Beast Boy and Cyborg all afternoon, and it gave them a feeling of the "old times" before the madness of the past year had taken hold on them. Later in the afternoon Cyborg excused himself, as he had some chores to take care of in the garage that he had been putting off for weeks. Terra and Beast Boy continued to play Mad Monkeys 7 at a furious pace, until they were exhausted and they took a break. Terra stepped into the kitchen to get some chips and soda pop for the two of them. As she walked back into the common room she had a look of remorse on her face.

"BB, I owe you an apology." She told him as she handed him a can of orange soda.

"What for?" he asked as he opened the can and took a big swig of its fructose sweetened contents.

Terra looked a little embarrassed but pressed forward. "For stealing that kiss from you on Azarath."

Garfield chuckled. "Yeah, it's too bad I was asleep. I sure wish that I remembered it."

Terra looked shocked. "Really? I thought you were angry."

He just grinned at her. "Don't tell Raven, but it really bugs me that we never got to kiss that night at the amusement park. Slade had to show up and ruin everything."

"You shouldn't have told me that BB." She said as a tear rolled down her cheek. "Knowing that I can't have you it would have been better to think that you hated me."

"I did hate you for a while, you know, when you pulled that gun on Raven."

Terra's heart skipped several beats. Beast Boy didn't know that she was the mastermind behind the ambush that had nearly cost Raven her life, and he never would. She would take that secret to her grave.

"You have every right to be angry with me over that. I don't care how messed up I was then, I had no excuse for doing that."

"But why? What kind of grudge did you have against Raven?"

Terra put down the GameStation controller. "I hated her because you loved her."

"Enough to kill her?" he asked incredulously.

Terra nodded her head as the tears continued to drip. "Yeah, I know it's stupid. I would have hurt you more than her had I succeeded."

Beast Boy looked dejected. "Why do things between us have to be so complicated, Terra?"

"Because I make them complicated." She sniffled. "I just couldn't accept that you were in love with me; I doubted you and ran off with Slade. And I ruined everything along the way. Sometimes I wish I was still frozen in stone in that cave and never been freed from that tomb."

"What? Why?"

She gave him a look that said 'Are you really that clueless?'

He put a hand on her shoulder. "Terra, you'll always be special to me, always. You know, I still have those pictures we took in that booth."

"You mean Raven hasn't made you destroy them?"

"She doesn't know about them. I keep them in that heart shaped box I made for you. They're stashed away in the basement."

Terra was stunned. She figured that Beast Boy would have thrown those items away years ago, but he hung on to them and never told Raven. Realizing that she was a tearful mess she wiped her face with her sleeve.

After regaining her composure she went out on a limb. "Would you still like that kiss?"

_**-( - )-**_

Eventually the pizza arrived and the Titans gathered for dinner. The Justice Leaguers had all left that morning, so it was just Nightwing, Terra, Mas Y Menos, Cyborg, Beast Boy and Bumblebee who got to chow down. Bumblebee had already purchased her dress the week before and came up with an excuse to not join Raven and Starfire on their shopping expedition. She often found Starfire overbearing and was beginning to wonder if Raven's changes were more than skin deep, as the pair had been gone for almost 6 hours. They watched Monday Night Football while they ate, but Mas Y Menos complained.

"Esto no es futbol, el futbol se juega con los pies y no con las manos" Mas complained.

"No seas estúpido. Aquí el futbol tiene otro nombre: soccer!" Menos chided him for his lack of cultural awareness. "Esto es futbol Americano."

"Ah!" Mas replied "Ahora entiendo."

Just before halftime there was the sound of laughter in the elevator as it approached the common room floor level. The door opened, revealing a startling scene to the Titans. First of all Raven was giggling with Starfire. She also wasn't wearing her cape and leotard, instead she was dressed in a pair of skin tight jeans and a T-shirt, and to top it off, her hair was dyed purple. She walked up in front of Garfield and posed.

"What do you think?" she asked him.

The funny thing about all this was that before she had her life changing trip to Hades Beast Boy hoped that Raven would become a little less intense, and his wish had come true. But now he wasn't so sure that he really liked that. He was missing his old Raven. He missed her violet eyes, her grey skin, her curvy figure and even her dark moods. It wasn't that there was anything wrong with the new Raven. The truth was that most people found her more attractive now in her more conventional form. But he couldn't help but feel she was a stranger, and felt guilty about that. Sure, her spirit dwelled in this body, but that wasn't the only thing that changed. While he liked her new carefree personality he was still adapting to it. In many ways it was this that gave him pause, and not her new physique. He noticed that she was wearing her wedding band, with its tiny emeralds and he absentmindedly played with his ring.

"You look great! By why the hair?"

"I guess I missed it." She replied and opened her telepathic link to him. _You hate it, don't you?_

_You can still do that?_

_Yes, but only with you. _She sat down next to him and took his hand.

_OK, that's cool. And no I don't hate it. It just makes you look more like your mom._

_So it was a mistake?_

_No, not at all. I just need time to get used to the changes, that's all._

_You seemed to be "used to them" last night. You weren't shy at all._

_I never said you weren't hot._

"Ok you two, enough with the googly love eyes!" Cyborg interrupted, unaware that a conversation was going on.

Raven laughed. "C'mon Gar, let's go to our room. I want to show you what I bought."

She got up and pulled Beast Boy to his feet, and the two left the room while she told him about her afternoon at the mall.

"OK, that's just weird!" Cyborg complained. "I know it's her, but she seems like another person."

"That's because she is another person." Nightwing interjected. "I hate to say this, but I miss the old Raven."

"Richard!" Starfire scolded him. "You should be happy for our friend; she now has the "joy of life" that has eluded her before. Even Beast Boy seems to enjoy her changes."

"You're not going to tell me that he doesn't miss the old Raven. C'mon! It has to be freaking him out that she looks like a younger version of Arella." He reminded her.

Starfire shared a sly smile with her husband. "Oh I don't know. At dinner she told me that he was quite the "Tiger" last night, and that morphing was not involved."

"She told you that! Raven would never share anything like that!"

"Well she did, and you know what? I like the new Raven."

Richard sighed. "I hope Zatanna likes her half as much as you do. She's coming next week to begin her training. I've asked her to come to Tamaran with us to the wedding."

"Have some faith, Richard; Raven will do fine!"


	32. Chapter 32

Beast Boy watched Raven model all her new outfits for him. He had to admit that she looked quite stunning in her new outfits, as they flattered her athletic build. The skin tight jeans highlighted that her old "thunder thighs" which she hated (and Beast Boy loved) were now history. Gar had to admit to himself that while his old Raven was sexy, the new Raven was a knockout.

But he missed her old face, not that there was anything fundamentally wrong with her new face. He did think that it made her look exotic and he couldn't decide if she looked Korean or Japanese. She looked a lot like Arella, which still felt strange to him. Her facial expressions were her old ones, which provided him with some comfort, but he missed her eyes. He missed her large amethyst orbs, which captivated him from the day he first met her.

"Gar! I Wake up! Do you like this outfit?"

"Huh?" he said as he snapped back. "Yeah sure, I like the way the jeans hug your hips."

"Yeah, but does the outfit look good?"

Realizing he had been busted, he gave her a quick examination.

"You aren't wearing a bra!"

"So you are awake. Well, what do you think?"

"You look too good. I'm not letting you go out like that; I can see your nipples through your blouse."

She examined herself in the mirror. "Yeah, I suppose you're right."

Beast Boy had to shake his head. He couldn't believe she was considering dressing like that that in public.

"Raven" he asked cautiously. "You aren't going skanky on me, are you?"

Raven burst out laughing. "Skanky?!"

"Just wear a bra, OK?" he said morosely. "Look, I'm glad that you feel good about your body now and I don't mind that you flaunt it, but some things are for my eyes only. OK?"

"Possessive, aren't you?" she teased him.

"About what's mine? You bet!"

"In case you've forgotten, I have property rights over you too."

"Don't you have some more outfits to show me?" he grunted.

"Sure, I'll show you the dress I got for the wedding. Starfire helped me pick it. You know, she's come a long way; her taste is now actually quite good. It'll take me a few minutes; I have to do my hair up for it."

"Take your time." He replied as she vanished into the bathroom.

It was taking longer than just a few minutes so Gar got up from his chair and began poking around their desk, which in reality was Raven's desk as he let her handle all of their paperwork. He saw a small cardboard tube, the kind that one might keep a document or maybe a poster in it to protect. He pulled the end off of it and slid its contents out of the tube. It was a rolled up parchment and he recognized it, it was their magical Azarathian wedding certificate. He unrolled it and took a look at it. His jaw almost hit the ground. He was still slack jawed when Raven eventually emerged from the bathroom. She noticed his expression immediately.

"Gar, what's wrong?"

He handed her the certificate. "Please tell me this is a joke."

With a skeptical look on her face she took the parchment and examined it. She also went slack jawed when she read it.

On the top of the certificate there was large red lettering that said in both English and Azarathian:

"Marriage Dissolved"

And over Raven's name and signature was more red lettering. It simply said "Deceased".

Raven's jaw trembled.

"That frakking no good excuse of a father! He did this to us!"

"What do you mean Rae? You're not really dead are you?"

"No, I'm not; but the girl you married is. Raven, daughter of Arella and Trigon doesn't exist anymore."

"So what's the big deal? We'll just get married again. And this time we can have a big bash to celebrate."

"Knowing Trigon, there's probably another booby trap awaiting us. Nothing is ever easy with him."

"Well, if it's any consolation, your dress looks great. It makes you look like a super model when you wear it."

She gave him an appreciative smile. Then she grinned seductively.

"If Trigon thinks he can separate us with a stupid trick like this, he's going to be disappointed. Gar, we might not be legally married right now; but I promise you that tonight will best night of your life."

Beast Boy rubbed the back of his neck and blushed.

"Rave, every night I'm with you is the best night of my life."

_**-( - )-**_

Nightwing was up early, and was tidying up the tower. Zatanna would be arriving at noon and he wanted to make a good impression on her, especially since they had just been admitted to the Justice League. He was actually a bit miffed, as the tower, especially the common room, was dirty. Raven used to help him out keeping the tower clean, but now she too had joined the slob squad. He wondered if maybe Zatanna had a spell that could bring back the old Raven.

He had just finished picking up the clutter in the common room, tossing all the junk into a cardboard box which in turn he threw unceremoniously into a closet, from which he extracted a vacuum cleaner and began to clean the dirty floor. Soon the dust canister was full and he removed it, and was walking to the kitchen to empty it in the dust bin. To his great surprise Raven and Beastboy were cleaning up last night's dishes and giving the kitchen a good scrubbing.

"Well good morning Logans!" he greeted them.

"Speaking of that, we have some, uh, interesting news to share." Raven replied as she finished loading the dishwasher and Gar mopped the kitchen floor.

Nightwing raised one of his eyebrows as he emptied the canister into the trash.

"Is this good or bad news?"

"I guess it depends on your point of view. Gar and I aren't married anymore." She replied nonchalantly as she loaded the washing powder in the machine and closed the door.

"Very funny Raven, April fools was months ago."

Raven pointed at the certificate lying on the table. "Check it out for yourself"

Nightwing picked up the certificate, recognizing it as the one he and Starfire had signed as witnesses months ago. He read it with a stern expression on his face.

"So you're dead?" he asked in a deadpan that would have made the old Raven proud.

"Yup, apparently Trigon had the last laugh. I want to show this to Zatanna, to see what she thinks about it. I have a hunch that my former father has more surprises in store for us."

Nightwing looked disturbed. "So you're not married anymore?"

"That's what the lady said." Beast Boy replied.

Dick was tempted to ask them what they did last night, but came to the conclusion that 1) he didn't really want to know and 2) It was really none of his business anyway.

"So what are you going to do? You want me to call the mayor? He used to be a judge, he'd probably come to the Tower to perform the ceremony."

"We want to talk to Zatanna first." Beast Boy replied as he finished mopping. "Now that's clean! Lemony fresh!"

"Whoa! Did I hear all this correctly? You guys got a divorce?" No one had noticed Terra's arrival.

"No Terra, we didn't get a divorce. Trigon found a loop hole to get our marriage terminated." Raven replied.

With a grin on her face Terra waltzed up to Beast Boy.

"So you're a bachelor again, huh BB? How about you and I …."

"Don't even think of it Terra! He might not be my husband any more, but he's still my boyfriend. My intimate boyfriend." Raven snarled.

"Relax Raven, I'm just kidding. Anyway I'm dating Cyborg these days, so no worries, OK?"

Nightwing walked up to Terra and handed her the vacuum cleaner and a box of swiffers. "Terra, how about you dust and vacuum the entry hall. We want to make a good impression on Zatanna."

"Sheesh, you try to be funny and you end up on cleaning detail." She joked as head for the elevator. As the doors closed she shouted "Most couples live in sin first and then get married, not the other way around!"

"Shut up Terra!" Beast Boy shouted back at her and then laughed.

Nightwing sat down to rest; he was dirty from 4 hours of cleaning the tower. "I guess we're ready. I'll go clean myself up now. Star went to the supermarket and she should be back soon, Cyborg's getting a guest room ready for Zatanna."

"You're really worried about impressing Zatanna, aren't you?" Beast Boy asked.

Nightwing nodded. "One of the objections that was raised against our admission to the Justice League was that we're still immature. I want to prove them wrong by wowing our top detractor."

"So that means no Stankball, right?"

"Good guess Gar" Raven said as she rolled her eyes.

"You're one to talk, you're our Stankball champion!"

"That was the old me. Without my dark energy I'd be dead meat on a stick."

"Ooooh, you mean it's payback time for all those games where you creamed me?"

"Only if you want to sleep on the couch, Romeo."

Nightwing quietly slipped away as the couple continued to bicker. He smiled, comforted by the fact that some things can be counted on to never change.


	33. Chapter 33

Zatanna arrived at the tower with little fanfare. She flew in from Gotham on an ordinary commercial airliner and was picked up at the Jump City airport by Nightwing and Starfire, who took an ordinary sedan to collect her. Cyborg wanted to build a second T Car but Nightwing vetoed the expense, and had instead placed an order for a Chevrolet Malibu, which ended up costing less than the wheels did alone on the T Car.

Zatanna was dressed in an ordinary civilian outfit as were Dick and Starfire, who both wore sun glasses in an attempt to blend into the crowd. Dick looked like an ordinary young adult as he had no unusual features to make him stand out, while Starfire wore slacks and a long sleeved blouse to hide her alien complexion. Their disguises were good enough that Zatanna didn't immediately recognize them as she deplaned. After a quick exchange of greetings they headed to the baggage claim area. As typical, it took an eternity for any luggage to appear on the circular conveyor belt, which gave them plenty of time to chat.

"Bruce sends his regards." Zatanna began the small talk. "So how is Raven doing?"

"She has some unusual news."

"Really, what is it?" The sultry magician replied.

"Well, you see, it's their Azarathian marriage certificate. It changed all by itself. It now says that Raven's deceased and that the marriage is dissolved."

Zatanna gave them an extremely alarmed look.

"Do you know if Raven and Garfield have been intimate since her return?"

Dick choked "You mean, have they had inter…"

Starfire interrupted "Yes they have, Raven told me herself."

"That could be a problem, a deadly problem." Zatanna said in low voice. "I must get to the Tower as soon as possible."

Starfire offered to fly Zatanna to the Tower while Richard waited for her luggage to arrive. Within minutes she was at the tower.

_**-( - )-**_

Raven and Beast Boy were sitting on their couch in the common room, or to be more accurate Beast Boy was sitting in Raven's lap while they kissed passionately. They were alone in the Tower since everyone else was running some sort of errand at the time, and felt free to indulge in some uninhibited making out in the common room. Beast Boy was about to suggest they adjourn to their room when Starfire and Zatanna arrived unnoticed by the two lovers.

"Stop! Stop that right now!" Zatanna boomed at them.

Beast Boy literally fell off Raven's lap and hit the floor with the thud.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to startle you, but Beast Boy's life is in danger!"

Raven went bug eyed. "Zatanna? What are you talking about? Why is he in danger?"

Beast Boy picked himself up from the floor. "Yeah, I never heard of anyone dying of making out on a couch." He complained.

Zatanna ran up to Beast Boy and began examining him.

"Take your shirt off!" she said after examining his face.

"Say what?"

"Just do it!" she barked at him.

Beast Boy looked at Raven who shrugged back at him. He then complied with her request and pulled his shirt off. Zatanna then proceeded to examine his torso very carefully and thoroughly.

"No sign of the Azarathian blight, that's a good sign."

Raven recoiled in shock. "Why would he have the blight? He was never unfaithful to me!"

Zatanna saw the parchment on the table. "Is this the marriage certificate?"

Raven nodded in reply as Zatanna pulled out a small magnifying glass and began to examine the parchment very carefully.

"The changes are indeed magical in nature. This isn't a hoax."

"Yeah, we know, we aren't married anymore, so what's the big deal?" Beast Boy grumbled. "If you guys are so worried about us being naughty we can get re-married today."

"It's not that simple." Zatanna warned the couple.

Raven felt her blood go cold when she heard those words. "What do you mean Zatanna? What's going on?"

Zatanna sighed. By the this time the rest of the Titans converged in the common room and were listening, also waiting for the explanation.

"OK, this is going to sound strange, but bear with me. Raven, when you came back from Hell you returned a different person, literally. The girl Garfield married doesn't exist anymore, and therefore he is now single."

"That's obvious even to me." Beast Boy replied.

"Yes Garfield, but there's more. You see, you haven't changed, so Raven is still married to you."

"What is this? Some kind of riddle?" The changeling complained.

Raven had understood what Zatanna was saying. "You mean we're stuck in a paradox?"

"I'm afraid so." Zatanna replied.

"So that's why you're worried about Garfield having the blight."

Zatanna nodded.

"Raven, what are you talking about?" Gar whined.

"Remember the infidelity curse? The punishment for infidelity is the blight. It begins as a nasty rash that works its way into your body. Once it's done it consumes you completely, leaving you as a dried out husk. And it takes less than 24 hours to kill you."

"But we aren't cheating Rae, are we?"

"I'm afraid that we are. I can make love to you, but you can't make love to me."

"That makes no freaking sense!" Beast Boy bellowed.

"I know it doesn't, that's why it's a paradox."

"So why am I not dead? We made love the night you returned."

"I'm stumped on that one." Zatanna replied. "But there's no point in tempting fate. You two are to remain celibate until we find a solution to this problem."

"Can we at least kiss?"

Zatanna shook her head "Sorry Garfield, no kissing or petting allowed either."

"This blows." He muttered under his breath.

As if on cue the tower alarm began to blare.

"Its Cinderblock" Nightwing shouted from the ops console. "He and a bunch of gang bangers are robbing a bank downtown. Titans Go!"

As the superheroes began to leave the Tower Raven grabbed Beast Boy's wrist.

"Be careful!" she shouted at him. "Don't you dare get hurt!"

He nodded in acknowledgement before morphing into a falcon and flying out the window. Within moments they were all gone and the common room was dead quiet.

"So Zatanna, do you have any ideas?"

"As a matter of fact I do"

_**-( - )-**_

The battle at the bank was going well for the Titans. The gangs were well armed and had lots of ammo and Cinderblock wasn't making things easy either as he kept throwing cars and other debris at the heroes. Still Mas Y Menos managed to disarm dozens of the gang bangers who turned and fled. Eventually it was just the Titans vs. Cinderblock. The heroes felt that they had this one in the bag and became over confident. Cinderblock wasn't smart at all, but that didn't mean he couldn't be lucky.

Mas Y Menos accidentally ran into Nightwing, knocking him down. Cinderblock saw his chance and grabbed the former boy wonder by his ankles and swung him around, slamming him into a concrete wall repeatedly until Starfire rescued him. Beast Boy became furious at what he had witnessed. Starfire cradled Richard's limp and bloody figure in her arms and was weeping.

_You're always asking me to let you out. Well now's your chance._ Beast Boy said internally as he released the Beast. He shouted in agony as he slowly morphed into the fearsome monster. Once the transformation was complete the Beast eyed Cinderblock, who now understood that he was the prey and in grave danger. The concrete villain tried to flee, but it was in vain. The Beast pounced on him, knocking him over and began to thrash the now helpless villain. Had it not been for the other Titan's intervening Cinderblock would have been reduced to a pile of gravel.

They were surprised that Beast Boy hd let the Beast out, as he had not done that since Slade had attacked the Tower with Trigon's fire demons. But there were bigger fish to fry at the moment. Starfire was calling frantically for help.

Nightwing was dying.

_**-( - )-**_

"What do you have in mind Zatanna?" Raven asked.

"I was thinking of a transfiguration spell."

"You want to turn me back into my old self? But how? I have heard of such spells but have never found even a reference to a real one."

"Then this will be your first lesson Raven. But before we proceed you must know a few things. First of all I believe that you will recover some of your powers, in particular your white energy. Your black energy was left behind in hell, permanently, with Rage. You won't become a demoness again, but your psyche will pay a price. You won't be the carefree woman you have become anymore. Your disposition will change. You won't have Trigon's spirit hidden in your head, but you will have his genes.

Raven didn't even hesitate. "No price is too great if I can have Gar back."

"You really love him, don't you?"

"You have no idea."

Zatanna paused as if considering what to do next.

"We'll need something physical of yours from before you were changed. Do you have any blood stock piled in the infirmary?"

Raven shook her head. "I'm afraid not. And I haven't had a blood sample done in ages. I doubt Cyborg has any leftover samples. He's fastidious with keeping the lab clean."

"That's too bad, hmmm, how about some hair? Do you have any saved from a haircut?"

"I don't but I'll bet Gar does. After I defeated Trigon my hair had grown long and I cut it back into the A-line I used to wear. Gar begged me for my cut hair. He said it was too precious to throw away."

"He sounds like a sweet guy." Zatanna teased Raven.

"He is. Anyway, I gave it to him in an envelope. I'll bet you anything he still has it in a box in the basement, I'll be right back."

Raven felt giddy as she rode the elevator down into the basement. She was actually looking forward to once again being her short gray self and best of all Trigon wouldn't be in her head this time. After all the suffering they had shared perhaps now happiness would be with her and Gar's reach.

The elevator's doors slid open and she walked into the dark basement entrance. She flipped the lights on before walking down the long flight of stairs into the bowels of the basement. After briefly exploring she found the shelf with the 3 boxes that were labeled 'Beast Boy'.

The first one contained his mementos from his Doom Patrol days. She lifted the tiny spandex outfit that he wore when they first met. They had all grown since that day. She also found his old mask and laughed, because it was so ridiculous. What was Mento thinking making him wear that silly thing?

She opened the second box and her heart froze. Among other items it contained the heart shaped box he had given to Terra. Unable to resist the temptation and knowing that she would probably regret it later she opened it. It contained some low quality pictures, obviously taken in a photography booth. Beast Boy and Terra were obviously having a great time. She had loved him enough to get him out of the Tower before Slade attacked. There were also some letters from her in the box. Those she knew it was best to not read.

She then pulled down the third box, which felt heavy. Much to her surprise it was full of photographs of herself that he had taken clandestinely over the years. There were also a few journals which she left alone. After rummaging through the box she found the envelope she was looking for, and it was still full of her old hair.

_**-( - )-**_

It was bedlam in the infirmary. Cyborg was busy hooking Dick up to a ventilator as Bumblebee tried to console Starfire. She kept telling her that Dick would be OK, but they all knew it was a lie. It was a miracle that he had lived this long. His spine was shattered and his internal organs were destroyed. It was only a matter of time before death showed up to claim him.

Beast Boy was sitting on the floor outside the infirmary, weeping.

"Gar, what's wrong? What's happened?"

He didn't look up, as he recognized her voice. "Dick's gonna die, Rave. Cinderblock trashed him."

He felt her hand take his. "C'mon, maybe we can help him."

Beast Boy gasped as he looked up.

"Rave?"

Raven was wearing her white leotard and cape. Her hood was down, revealing the round gray face he had fallen in love with.

"You're back!" he shouted with glee as she pulled him to his feet and led him into the infirmary.

"Everyone, out of the way!" she commanded as she approached the bed. Dick looked like a bus had hit him.

"Gar, put your hands on my shoulders. Everyone else put your hands on Gar's shoulders."

Everyone complied as Raven focused; laying her own hands on Dick's mangled body. White energy flowed from the Titans into Raven's body; just as it had when she destroyed Trigon. Raven threw her head back and shouted her mantra. A white raven formed around her and enveloped Dick's body growing brighter and brighter until everyone had to shield their eyes. A surge of energy was felt in the room.

Once the brightness subsided it was plain for all to see that Dick was sitting up and feeling fine. Starfire dropped to her knees in front of Raven, her eyes staring at the floor.

"I am forever in your debt, Raven. Thank you, my friend, thank you."

Raven pulled Starfire to her feet and hugged her.

"Don' be silly, you've saved all of us countless times."

"No Raven, it was not the same. My Richard was at death's door and you gave him back to me."

"You would have done the same for me." Raven smiled. "So, isn't anyone gonna ask what happened to me?"

_**-( - )-**_

The Titans along with Zatanna had gone out to the best restaurant in town to celebrate. After a long evening of good cheer and superb food, which Raven paid for, being the trustee to the fund Arella set up for them, they headed back to the tower and continued celebrating late into the night.

Raven explained to everyone how Zatanna restored her old genome using a transfiguration spell. She also explained how she was able to recover her white power, which was hers and not Trigon's. She continued explaining that with some practice she would eventually be able to replicate all of her dark energy powers without the burden of Trigon on her.

As the hour grew late the Titans began to say their good nights. Nightwing gave Raven a warm hug and a kiss.

"Thanks for saving my life, sis" he said as he continued to hug her.

"It's the least I could do to thank you for rescuing me from Trigon's pit."

Starfire took her husband's arm. "Come now Richard, I think that Raven and Beast Boy might want some time alone together."

As the Graysons walked away after exchanging good night with the Logans, Beast Boy kissed his wife and they walked back to their room.

As the bedroom door slid shut behind them Beast Boy asked. "So we're legit now?"

Raven nodded and showed him the marriage certificate that was on the desk. The red writing had vanished. The paradox had been broken.

"There's one thing I'm sorry about." She said softly.

"What could you possibly be sorry about Rae? We're married again and you saved Dick. Life couldn't be better."

"We'll, you see, while I'm not a demoness this time I'm a hybrid again. We can't have children." She said sadly.

He took her hand and kissed it several times.

"It doesn't matter. If we really want a kid someday, maybe we can adopt a child. But right now all that matters is that we're together again."

Raven hugged her husband tightly, not knowing just how wrong she was. For in her womb a new life was stirring, growing rapidly. Only two days old and conceived when Raven was briefly human, this child of theirs had already saved her father's life. She had created a nuptial bridge between the two, overcoming the paradox and keeping the blight curse at bay.

At that moment they had no idea of how blessed they were, but it didn't matter.

Happiness would be theirs.


	34. Chapter 34

_Epilogue_

It was a chilly California December afternoon in Jump City and the wind blew hard as the freezing rain poured down. Titans Tower stood like a beacon on the small island it occupied in the bay. Unlike in years past it no longer stood alone on the island, which it now shared with a large complex of buildings to its south. The addition was known affectionately as "Titans University" even though it didn't really have a name and wasn't really a university. For one thing it didn't grant degrees.

It was really a training center for new recruits to the Titans. Over the years the Titans expanded their presence around the globe and continued to expand. There were now over 100 branches of the Titans around the world and the recruiting and training of new heroes had become a highly organized enterprise. The sheer number of applicants wase staggering and sifting the wheat from the chaff had become a highly defined process.

In the first step the candidates had to be screened at what had become known as "Titan Boot Camp". Few candidates made it past this first phase as it was both challenging and grueling. Having powers provided no guarantee of succeeding and more than a few very talented prospects washed out at this point. Boot camp not only tested the physical prowess of the would be Titans, but it also exercised other traits that were required to be a Titan: valor, ethics, selflessness and commitment to name a few. The Titans borrowed a practice from the NFL, and wash outs were let go quietly in the night, notified in the privacy of their dormitory rooms, so they could avoid the embarrassment of being dismissed in front of the other candidates, especially if they were cut early on. Those that survived boot camp went to "finishing school" as Vic "Cyborg" Stone called it. Vic directed the boot camp and made sure that only the most promising candidates moved on.

In finishing school candidates went through training that was similar to what the Teen Titans did when their leader was known as Robin: Martial arts, endurance, weight lifting and of course the obstacle course. Finishing school also included headier subjects such as combat strategy, criminology, forensics, and even training in the liberal arts. The goal was to have well rounded heroes.

In the third phase, which came after graduating from finishing school, the recruits would receive field training from Nightwing and Princess Koriand'r. Field training typically involved going on missions against super villains. The nuggets were not allowed to call the Princess by her familiar name of Starfire until they completed this final step.

_**-( - )-**_

The director of the finishing school sat at her desk in her spacious office, grading essays. It seemed that every year the academic caliber of the recruits went down a notch, which made her job even harder. She was rushing to finish, as she and her husband had to leave soon for the airport to meet someone who would be arriving from overseas. Just as she finished grading the papers a reminder popped up on her computer screen. It was time to leave. She locked the graded papers in her desk and exited her office, closing the door behind her and locking it. The sign on the door read "Raven Logan Ph.D., Director"

The years had been good to Raven. She had only put on 10 pounds since she married Garfield 27 years before and was still very fit and attractive for a woman of 45 years of age. The only thing that gave away her age was the amount of gray on her head. The gray hairs almost outnumbered her remaining violet strands. She refused to dye her hair, in part because she felt that it was a sign of vanity but also out of solidarity with her husband. At age 44 Garfield was bald, just as Starfire had foretold he would be but unlike in the future she had visited, he was not obese. He taught many of the physical activity classes in the school and that had been his saving grace so far. That and the fact that he only drank diet sodas now. His vegetarian diet had helped keep the pounds off as well.

As Raven walked up to the classroom where he taught criminal forensics she passed a large photographic portrait of the original Titans. It was taken shortly after they returned from their trip to Tokyo. While it was a very good portrait, it was not one of her favorites, as it reminded her of when she had been impatient and even a little cruel with Garfield. She shrugged off the unpleasant memory and continued on to the classroom. The class had ended a few minutes before and Garfield was gathering his materials and stowing them into his briefcase as she arrived. She was dressed casually in blue slacks and a red turtle neck and was carrying a wool overcoat in her arms. He looked professorial, complete with elbow patches on his corduroy jacket.

"Ready?" she asked.

"I'm good to go" he replied. "Where does Dick find these nuggets? Talk about rough around the edges. Some of them even have college credits, not that you could ever tell by their class work."

She hooked her arm into his. "Come on professor, let's get going, we're going to be late." She smiled at him. He thought she was still as beautiful as the day he first met her.

"I'm ready. Last time I checked Franki's plane was still on schedule"

"Frances's plane" she corrected him. They christened her Frances Marie Logan, but she insisted that she be called Franki as far back as elementary school.

The chromatically challenged couple arrived at the garage and got into their car. They were soon on their way to the airport.

_**-( - )-**_

"_Ladies and Gentlemen this is your captain speaking. We have begun our final descent and will be landing at the Jump City airport in 15 minutes. At this time you need to return your seats to their upright position and …"_

Frances Logan looked out the window inside the airliner. She saw the T shaped tower and the complex behind it. The complex had grown since she left home at 17 to go to college. She had qualified for a full ride scholarship at Dartmouth in New Hampshire and after that she had gone off to Oxford to work on a Ph.D. in English literature. She was working on her thesis and was way behind schedule and desperately needed to catch up. She was only coming home for Christmas because her father had begged her to come home for the holidays.

She had not chosen the life of a superhero for one simple reason: she had never manifested any super powers. Other than her pointed ears, which were concealed by her long dark hair, there was nothing to give away the fact that she was the daughter of two very unusual people. If anything she looked like her grandmother Arella. She was tall; her features were a mix of East Asian and Caucasian. Her complexion was fair and she had her father's emerald eyes.

Even though she had not originally chosen to come home for the holidays she was excited, giddy in fact. This is because she was bringing her parents a surprise all the way back from Oxfordshire.

"Geoffrey, wake up, we're almost there" she roused her travelling companion.

_**-( - )-**_

Being Titans had its privileges. Raven and Gar were allowed to meet their daughter at the gate in the terminal, bypassing TSA rules that restricted that option. The plane had already arrived when they showed up and within a minute the passengers began to deplane. They waited patiently until she emerged and ran up to them followed by a tall red headed young man who had a very surprised look on his face.

"Mom! Dad!" she gushed as she hugged them. "I want you to meet my fiancé, Geoffrey Perrin".

Frances wasn't sure who was more shocked and surprised, her parents or Geoffrey.

Geoff stared at his future in-laws, clearly awestruck. "Frannie, you never told me that Raven and Beast Boy are your parents."

"Changeling" Raven corrected him. "He hasn't been called Beast Boy in over twenty tears."

Geoff blushed, clearly embarrassed by his faux pas. "Oh yes of course. Please forgive me Mrs. Logan." He turned towards Frances, still looking shocked. "Frannie! You never told me you were a Teen Titan."

"I never was a Titan." She replied "I didn't inherit any of my parent's powers."

Garfield extended a hand to Geoff. "It's nice to meet you Geoffrey. We were wondering if Franki was ever going bring a young man home to meet us. You could have told us Franki." Garfield remarked.

Geoffrey clearly looked embarrassed. "I'm sorry for being such a twit. It's just that you were my heroes when I was a young boy. I was heartbroken when you retired. Why didn't you tell me Frannie?"

Frances sighed. She towered over her diminutive parents, yet felt small next to them. "I just wanted to be ordinary Geoff. Until I left for college everybody knew who my parents were. I wanted people to be interested in me for who I was, not because of my parents. Getting away from Jump City was such a relief; I was finally able to be myself."

He nodded in understanding. "Of course. Forgive me Frannie. It's just that this is so cool."

Raven smiled at her daughter. "Frannie?" Frances glared back at her.

Raven levitated and gave her tall future son-in-law a hug. "Welcome Geoff, we're happy to meet you, even if it was a surprise. Gar, would you call Vic and ask him to have housekeeping prepare a guest room for Geoff in the Tower?"

"I'm a step ahead of you Rave." He said as he was already dialing on his phone.

_Separate rooms. That'll put a potato in their tail pipes._ He contacted his wife through their shared telepathic link that Raven had created for them at Luthor's factory many, many years ago.

_Who says we don't get to have any fun?_ She replied.

Frances fumed silently, knowing very well the game they were playing. She'd see about that.

_**-( - )-**_

Geoff was like a kid in a candy store once they got to the tower. First they introduced him to Nightwing, Starfire, Cyborg and Terra. Then he met other Titans and was simply thrilled. He couldn't believe all the superheroes he was meeting. After a few hours had passed Gar suggested they go out to dinner to celebrate their engagement. He asked Nightwing and Starfire to join them.

The dinner was pleasant and the Logans got to learn a bit about Geoff. His parents were both Literature Professors at Oxford and he was working on his PhD in Physics when he met Frances at a departmental dinner his parents hosted at their home. It had been love at first sight. There was plenty more jovial conversation at the dinner table and when dessert arrived Raven decided to have some fun.

"So tell me Geoff, what are you intentions with my daughter?" she asked in her old school gravel monotone voice "I trust that they are honorable, correct?"

Geoff looked flustered and a little scared. He knew all about Raven's frightful powers. "Of course Mrs. Logan, strictly honorable." he stammered.

"Good, good. And don't call me Raven, you can't until you've been married at least 10 years."

"Yes, Mrs. Logan. Of course." He replied nervously.

Frances was getting irritated and gave her mother her own version of the Roth 'death glare'.

"Mom! Stop scaring Geoff!"

Gar, Nightwing and Starfire began to laugh.

"I'm sorry Geoff" Raven snickered as she patted his hand. "I couldn't resist. Welcome to the family. So when do we get to meet your parents?"

Geoff smiled. "Any time you'd please Raven, I can call you Raven, right?"

"Of course, but don't call me Rave…"

"… because only Dad can call her Rave" Frances interjected.

_**-( - )-**_

Geoff was settling into his room for the night. He was pretty tired from the jet lag and was ready for a good night's rest when a white hemisphere grew out of the floor. He knew that Raven would teleport using this technique. He became nervous, wondering why the sorceress had come to see him this late. Much to his surprise and relief it was Frances who emerged from the white glow.

"Frannie, I thought you said you didn't have any powers."

She pushed him down onto his bed, and he landed on his back.

"Mom and Dad don't need to know everything, do they?"

_**-( - )-**_

The story is not over yet, there is an alternate ending which I will publish tomorrow


	35. Chapter 35

Alternate Ending – Chapter 19

_**-( - )-**_

As Nightwing discussed the plan for inspecting the factory with the four justice leaguers Raven stole away and caught up with Cyborg, who was on his way to his workshop, to make preparations for the upcoming raid. She had sent Beast Boy off an errand to their room.

"Cyborg, I need to ask you a favor."

"Anything for my favorite sorceress." He replied with a smile. "But we need to make it quick. I'm taking Terra out to lunch before we raid the factory. What is it?"

"I need you to run a test on me."

"Really? What kind of test?"

"I'll tell you when we get to the infirmary." She replied "It's kind of private."

"Are you OK?"

"If you're asking me if I'm sick then the answer is no."

"You aren't preggers are you?"

"It has something to do with that." She replied evasively. "Please, Vic, let's not talk about this until we get to the infirmary."

"No problem." He replied with a smile. _Man, the grass stain's gonna faint! He hasn't said a thing; he probably doesn't have a clue!_

After a brisk and silent walk to the infirmary Cyborg walked to a cabinet and retrieved an over the counter pregnancy test from a glass cabinet. Raven hadn't noticed as she looked around at all of the equipment. The infirmary was a cold, sterile place for her, one that wasn't associated with positive memories. She had learned to hide her emotions well and no one really knew how much she hated the place, as it was full of bad memories. There was the time a mugger had shot Best Boy, long before they were a couple. It was the first time a Titan had been wounded by gunfire and she had been terrified that he would die, even after she had partially healed him.

"Raven, here's the pregnancy test kit" Cyborg repeated, drawing her back to the present.

"Oh, sorry." She took it absentmindedly before realizing what it was and putting it down on the counter.

"I'm sorry Vic, that's not what I came for. I need a fertility test."

Cyborg nodded knowingly and went back to the cabinet and retrieved a saliva sample collector, which looked like an oversize cotton swab. He opened the sterilized packaging and pulled it out by its base.

"Open wide." He instructed her and took the sample from her mouth. He then walked over to a new machine in the infirmary and inserted the swab into a receptacle in the device, after which he sat down at the analyzer's console and began to tap on its keys.

"First I'm going to see if your DNA is compatible with ours." He informed her.

After a few minutes the analysis was complete and a report was printed. He picked it up and read it carefully before handing it to Raven who also took her time reading the report's details. When she was done reading she folded it up and placed it into one of the segments in her "belt", which opened up revealing a compartment. A tear slowly ran down her cheek.

"Well, I guess I don't have worry about contraception anymore." She said bitterly.

"I'm so sorry Rae, I wish there was something I could do."

She nodded, her eyes closed tight, sniffling. "Thanks Vic. I know. I'd better go now and tell Gar." She phased through the floor and disappeared.

Cyborg was alone in the infirmary. He picked up the unused pregnancy test kit and put it back in the glass cabinet.

"It's not fair." He grumbled "It just isn't fair. Of all people, why her?"

Raven phased into their bedroom as Beast Boy peaked under their bed. He saw her out of the corner of his eye.

"I can't find it Rae, I've looked everywhere."

She ran up to him and threw her arms around him.

"Whoa! What's the matter Rae?"

"I'm sorry, there's no missing book. I sent you on a wild goose chase while I was in the infirmary."

Beast Boy's eyes widened in concern "Are you sick? You can't be. You never get sick."

She ran her fingers through his thick green hair, still looking sorrowful.

"I'm ok, it's just …."

She opened her belt compartment and handed him the print out. "Here, just read this."

His eyes darted across the paper quickly and as soon as he was done he dropped it.

"Oh Rae!" he sobbed as he threw his arms around her and embraced her tightly.

"I'm sorry Gar, I'm so sorry!" she whimpered.

"It' not your fault babe, don't cry." He assured her.

"If you want to divorce me now, I'll understand …" she whispered.

He looked at her crossly. "Don't be ridiculous." He scolded her. "I'll always be yours, no matter what."

"Thank you, my love, I needed to hear that."

Cyborg and Terra were heading back to the Tower from CJ's Barbeque. Cyborg had been very quiet during their date, clearly brooding over something that was bothering him. Terra had let him be, she knew him well enough to know that he didn't like to be questioned. Still her curiosity was getting the best of her. It had been a date after all, and to be honest it had royally sucked. She felt she was entitled to an explanation.

"What's wrong Cy? You didn't say a word during our date. I've been to funerals that were more fun."

"I'm sorry, there's some bad news in the Tower, and I can't tell you what it is."

"Is about you?"

"I wish." He replied. "But I really can't tell you. I would be violating someone's privacy."

"It's about Raven, isn't it? I saw her walk with you to the infirmary."

"Like I said, I can't tell you anything Terra, it would be unethical." He raised his voice.

"You found out she's sterile, right?"

Cyborg's mouth fell open. "What? How? Were you spying on us?" he asked angrily.

"Slade told me, a long time ago."

"How the hell would he know that?!" he shouted.

"Interesting choice of words, Cy. Yes, Hell had something to do with it. Trigon told him."

"Sonnofabitch!" Cyborg growled. "That bastard made her sterile! He could have given her a human genome if he wanted, but he made her a hybrid on purpose."

"That's what Slade said."

"Terra, you can't tell this to anyone. Raven and BB will tell the others when they're ready. Please promise me…"

She put her finger on his lips.

"Relax! I know better than that!" She said as she took his artificial hand, which felt cold and hard to her touch.

"Hey Cy."

"Yeah?"

"You should make yourself some hands that feel more natural."

"Why?"

"For dates. Trust me; you'll never get to second base with any girl with these things." She giggled.

He looked shocked for a moment, surprised by her risqué remark.

"Wanna go on another date?" He asked "I'll make it up to you, I promise!"

"Sure, but no promises regarding second base."

"Hey! I am a gentleman first and foremost." He said as he did a bad impression of Alfred Pennyworth.

"You'd better be!" she joked.

The combined team of heroes had assembled at the factory's main gate at 4:00 PM. The media was present, perhaps tipped off by a clerk in the judge's office. Max Gantry had approached the gate, and looked very upset.

"Mr. Luthor will not tolerate this kind of harassment. Don't think that just because you're a bunch of freakish super heroes that you'll get away with this. I have already contacted our lawyers. You will be held responsible for this, I assure you!"

Superman ripped the gates open as Batman shoved the search warrant into Gantry's hands. The heroes entered the factory grounds and headed straight for the mystery structure inside the still non operational factory.

"Stop! Don't do anything to that building!" Gantry shouted.

"Why not? What's in there?" Nightwing barked at the bureaucrat.

"We aren't sure, we think it's some kind of inter-dimensional portal, but we really don't know. It was here when we bought the factory, just much smaller. It's grown a lot since then. Mr. Luthor has been studying it, but even he admits it's now out of his control!"

As he said this the concealing structure began to shudder violently before disintegrating. The portal was unlike anything the Titan's had ever seen before, looking nothing like Raven's portals. It looked like a miniature tornado that was completely black, its vortex pivoting around, as if looking for something.

"Rae, what is that?" Gar asked her, completely awestruck.

"It's a portal into Hell." She replied breathlessly. "We should get out of here now!"

Her warning was too late as the vortex tilted in her direction. Before she knew what had happened she was being drawn into the vortex, unable to pull away. Gar grabbed her arm, trying to hold her back, but to no avail. Before they knew it half of Raven's body was already in the vortex, but strangely Beast Boy's body couldn't pass through it. He morphed into a gorilla, using his super human strength to hold on to his wife, but the vortex's draw was irresistible as it slowly but steadily drew Raven into its hungry maw. Soon all that was left of her in this dimension was her hand, which Beast Boy gripped with all his might. It appeared that a stalemate had been reached and Starfire came to his aid, also pulling as hard as she could. Several tendrils emerged from the vortex and knocked the two heroes away just as Kal-El stepped up to help. Raven's hand disappeared into vortex. With a loud bang the portal vanished without a trace.

"RRAAAAVVVEEEENNN!" Beast Boy screamed at the top of his lungs.

_**-( - )-**_

Two weeks had passed and there was no sign of Raven anywhere. The Justice League had put their best minds together and came up empty handed. None of their trans-dimensional technology was able to even determine where Raven had been siphoned off to and even the practitioners of magic, Zatanna and Dr. Fate also struck out.

Beast Boy had been a wreck since her disappearance, only able to sleep when given a sedative. Terra consoled him, reassuring him that Raven would soon return; that she was too resourceful to be kept captive wherever she was. He was appreciative of her kind words but his heart was heavy as he was beginning to accept the possibility that she might never return.

He walked up to the windows in the common room, his hand and forehead leaning on the glass, shedding silent tears once again.

_Please come home._

He felt Starfire's strong but gentle hand on his shoulder. It was time for another pill.

_**-( - )-**_

Raven had been correct. The dark whirlwind was indeed a portal into hell. Its power had been irresistible; she doubted that even Kal-El could have extricated her from its clutches. It had been pulling her down for what felt like years, it was hard to tell as time had no meaning in this dark realm. Eventually the dark tornado dissipated and Raven found herself alone on a desolate plain, devoid of all life.

"Why did you bring me here?!" she shouted. "Answer me!"

"For revenge, dear daughter." A familiar voice replied. "You are trapped here with me Raven, trapped here for eternity. You will never leave my realm and you will never see him again!" the voice roared in deep laughter as its source became visible.

"Hello father. It isn't nice to see you again."

"Just the way I like it child."

Raven looked around. Who knew what corner of hell she was trapped in? It didn't really matter. Being half demon she was trapped her, with no possibility of escape. She had recognized the demon trap in Luthor's factory, no doubt the fool had no idea what it was.

"You're going to regret bringing me here. I will make things miserable for you, just watch!"

Trigon laughed. "So say many who end up here, but in the end they realize the futility of the gesture and eventually become my minions. So it will be with you my daughter. In time you may even come to love me."

"Never! You are wrong! I will oppose you and all you stand for, and I will never give up, ever!"

And so began an epic battle in hell. It was Raven vs. her father and other demons, some greater than him and others lesser. Time had no meaning and past, present and future melded together. Raven fought valiantly, never resting. Whenever she felt discouraged she thought of her long lost beloved and that gave her the strength and resolve to continue.

After an amount of time had passed, whether it was an hour or a millennium Raven could not tell, something extraordinary happened. A rift opened in the fiery sky above hell and the most glorious being that Raven had ever seen descended through the rift. Itwas a luminous being, glorious beyond glory, brighter than the sun and whiter than the whitest snow. The demons recoiled in its presence, many fleeing while they screamed in panic. It landed in front of Raven, towering over her in its majestic glory.

"Greetings Raven, daughter of Arella."

"Who are you?" Raven asked in awe.

"I am Gabriel, messenger from the most High. He has found favor in you Raven and has taken pity on you. I have been sent to free you from this prison."

Raven fell to her knees "Oh thank you glorious one, thank you."

"She belongs to me. I created her!" Trigon roared.

"Silence, monster!" Gabriel roared back, his voice as pure as the rain and powerful as a thundering river.

"I do have bad news for you. You have been absent from the world of the living for a very long time."

"You mean my friends won't be there. Will Gar be there?"

"They remain where you left them child, but time has passed and things have changed, some which you will not like. I am sorry, but this is the way it must be. To change it would be to deny the created their free will."

He took Raven's hand and they ascended through the rift, which closed below them. The next thing she knew she was standing in the common room, near the windows and facing out towards the bay. She felt so peaceful that she didn't stir and stood there in silence for many minutes. It wasn't until she heard the sliding doors open that the spell was broken.

"Rave! Is that you?" She recognized the voice, her most favorite voice in the world. As she began to turn she replied.

"Yes Gar, it's me, I'm ba…"

And she froze mid sentence. Gar had grown a little, maybe two inches. He was much more muscular now and wore a new, unfamiliar costume that highlighted his now very manly physique. A shapely blond woman with blue eyes stood next to him, carrying a blond haired, green skinned 2 year old child.

"No! No! It can't be! Gar, tell me this isn't what I think it is!" Raven pleaded.

Beast Boy looked both sad and disturbed. Finally he mustered the courage to speak.

"Rave, you've been gone for 5 years. You were legally declared dead."

Rae stared at the couple, unable to contain the horror in her eyes.

"I'm sorry Rave, but Terra and I were married two years after you disappeared."

_**-( - )-**_

So what will happen next? – Stay tuned.


	36. Chapter 36

Terra stood at the top of steps leading down into the common room, her daughter resting on her hip. She made direct contact with her former rival's eyes. This couldn't be happening. Zatanna herself said that Raven was trapped in Hell for all eternity. How had she escaped? She undoubtedly came back to claim Garfield as her own.

_I'll be damn if I'll give him up without a fight. He's been mine for three years and I bore him a daughter. What has ever she done for him? They were only married a few months when she disappeared._

Raven stared up in disbelief. The child, he had a daughter. No, this couldn't be happening. She looked at him. He looked stunned.

"You didn't wait for me. Why didn't you wait for me?" Raven screamed. "I would have waited for you, I would have waited forever!"

She felt a hand on her shoulder.

"Raven, he did wait for you, even when Zatanna said you could not return. Even when your Azarathian Marriage certificate said you were dead." Starfire informed her. "Eventually we convinced him that he should move on. He mourned you for years, even after he married Terra. She has been living in your shadow, Raven. And she honored your memory."

"Maybe so, Starfire, but where does that leave me now?"

The alien Princess sighed. "I do not know dear friend. All I know is that you have returned to us, against all hope. And for that I am grateful."

By this point the common room was full of heroes; more than a few were not familiar to Raven. Five years. She had been gone 5 long years. It was unreasonable to expect the world to stop and wait for her. Countless thousands of people died every day and the world did not stop for them, so why should it be any different for her?

"Where is the certificate? I want to see it. Do you still have it Gar?"

He looked at her with remorse. "I'm sorry Raven, I should have waited. The certificate is packed away in the basement, I'll go and …"

"I'm on it green bean, I'll be right back."

Cyborg appeared to be the only Titan who had not changed. Raven recognized Robin's new identity as Nightwing. Starfire's figure had also filled out, much as Terra's had. Raven felt very plain and ordinary next to the two now older female Titans. And it didn't help that Terra was balancing hers and Gar's daughter on her hip. She had given Beast Boy the one thing Raven could not.

Suddenly a look of alarm blanketed Terra's face. She handed the child to Beast Boy and ran off without saying a word and was gone before anyone could say a word. Raven slowly walked up to Beast Boy and caressed the girl's head. She was his daughter, and even though she was also Terra's daughter she felt no animosity towards her, in fact she realized that she loved the child. She looked up into her beloved's emerald eyes.

"Her name is Raven"

"You named her after me? Terra let you do that?"

"It was her idea."

Raven rubbed her forehead. It was a noble gesture. But the pain remained. It was a reminder that she couldn't give him a child. Not now, not ever.

Cyborg and Terra returned to the common room at the same time. He handed her the familiar cardboard tube that contained the parchment to Raven, who slid it out and examined it. A small smile appeared on her lips. She walked over to the table and unrolled it until it was flat on the table, for all to see. The red markings where gone and Garfield was once again hers. She saw Terra out of the corner of her eye, and she had a grimace on her face. Beast Boy pulled the California wedding certificate out of her hand. It had the word "Annulled" stamped across it. According to the law they had never been married. Azarathian magic was indeed powerful.

"It's not fair, he was mine." The Geomancer sobbed. "I gave birth to his daughter; I waited two years while he mourned you. Why did you have to come back?"

Raven looked very solemn. This did not feel like a victory to her. They were a family and she returned to break them up.

"I'm sorry, I really didn't expect this to happen." She droned. "I think I should go to my room." She stood and paused. "That's right; I don't have a room anymore now, do I?"

Cyborg piped up. "We saved all your stuff. It'll get it out of storage and set it all up for you in one of the guest rooms."

She nodded gratefully. "Thank you Cyborg. That would be nice."

It was only now that she noticed the unfamiliar faces surrounding her. Nightwing stepped forward.

"I guess some introductions are in order … "

_**-( - )-**_

It was now late and Raven was alone in her room. Cyborg had even saved the old bed which looked so cold to her, knowing that she would be sleeping in it alone. She still could not believe the circumstances. Gar would not be able to share a bed with the woman he loved just as she would not be able to share hers with him. Her door chimed, snapping her out of her funk, even if it was just for a moment.

"Come in, its open." She called out.

Cyborg and Starfire entered, carrying baskets of freshly laundered clothes. Her old clothes that had been in storage for 5 years and smelled stale.

"Thank you, friends. You're too kind." Cyborg nodded in acknowledgement and left the women alone in the room.

Starfire sat down next to Raven on her bed. She wrapped her arms around her old friend and kissed the crown of her head.

"So what's new with you, Star? What have you done these years while I was gone?"

The princess gave Raven a small smile. "Well, we eventually had the wedding on Tamaran. Oh I wish you could have been there, it was so beautiful. Galfore ceded the crown back to me and I was proclaimed Empress of Tamaran. Richard was crowned as my consort and Crown Prince."

Raven chuckled. "I'll have to practice my curtseys" she joked.

Starfire snickered. "I appointed Galfore as my Regent and he continues to rule in my place."

Raven's eyes began to well up. "And they all lived happily ever after." She choked backed her tears.

"Oh I wish it were so my friend."

Raven stared at her friend. Her amethyst orbs were demanding an explanation.

"Richard and I cannot conceive either, our genomes are too dissimilar. We even had scientists at S.T.A.R.R. labs try to help us, but in the end they said it could not be done."

Raven bit her lower lip before answering. "And I came back to break up the only fertile couple in the Tower." Now it was her turn to embrace her friend. "At least I still have you Star, after spending an eternity in Hell with my father it's good to see your friendly face."

"I am most sorry for Beast Boy. I can only imagine the turmoil he is going through right now."

"And Terra as well." Raven replied. "She must really hate me now, and I can't say that I blame her. She can't even kiss him good night without risking the curse's wrath." She cradled her head in her hands. "Why did I insist on the Azarathian ceremony? We could have had a judge marry us and it wouldn't be a problem now. The civil marriage would have stayed dissolved and we wouldn't have this head ache now."

"I don't hate you Raven." Terra was standing at the door, which had never been closed. "May I come in?"

Raven nodded as she beckoned her to come in. Terra closed the door behind her and walked slowly to the bed, sitting down next to Raven, on her other side.

"I think he should be with you, Raven."

"Are you serious? But what about you? It wouldn't be fair to you." Raven replied. "And is that what he wants anyway?"

"I can't have him Raven, not with the curse. But I'm not being left empty handed. I have my daughter."

Raven didn't look convinced.

"C'mon Raven, we all know he still loves you. I was just a replacement for you. Don't get me wrong, those were the three best years of my life. He missed you terribly and I was privileged with cheering him up."

"No, Terra." Starfire interrupted "You were more than a replacement. He truly loves you."

"Starfire's right, you had a child together. That is something I will never share with him."

"Maybe, but he needs someone, and right now that someone can only be you."

"This won't be easy. We'll be living here together in the Tower. We have to; I can't separate him from his daughter. And when I'm alone with him, I'll always wonder if he's thinking of you."

"He will sometimes. He thought of you all the years you were gone. It wasn't easy competing with your ghost, but in the end I accepted it. We even have a picture of you in our apartment, framed and hanging in the living room."

Raven turned and embraced her former rival and the two broke out in tears.

_**-( - )-**_

Garfield was playing with his daughter in the common room. "Raven Logan" he thought to himself. Now there were two Raven Logans in the tower and while they were both related to him, they were not related to each other, at least not by blood. He rubbed the back of his neck wondering how he was going to explain to his daughter that he was not married to her mother while the she shared her name with the gray woman he was married to.

He picked her up and kissed her. Maybe someday the two Ravens would develop a bond. He could only hope so.

Cyborg walked into the room and smiled as he saw his friend, the "grass stain", play with his daughter the "sweet pea".

"They're talking in Raven's room." He reported tersely.

"I feel like a pie being sliced up. I feel so torn, Cy. I love both of them. I know it sounds creepy, but I think of myself as married to both of them. And at the same time no matter what I do, I'll feel like I'm letting them down."

Cyborg nodded. "I understand, but right now Raven is you legal wife, and with that Azarathian curse hanging over your head they couldn't time share you even if they agreed to."

Beast Boy gave the tin man a look that said 'my life sucks'.

"So, do you need me to get you a bed for tonight?"

"No" he replied blankly. "Terra has already told me that I'm moving back in with Raven. She says it's too dangerous for us to live together and I think she's right." He sighed "I just wish there was a better solution to this."

"I can bring up a single bed to Raven's room if you'd want that."

"She's my wife Cy, I think I should sleep with her. She's literally been to Hell and back. She deserves my comfort."

_And so does my poor Terra._


	37. Chapter 37

Alternate Ending – Chapter 3

_**-( - )-**_

Beast Boy walked up to the door and knocked nervously. "It's open" the voice responded. He punched the button and entered the dark room. Even though it was physically a different room the resemblance with the old one was remarkable. The same furniture was there and placed in the same positions. He was carrying a small suitcase, the kind one could take on board an airliner and stow in the overhead bin.

"Gar, you don't have to knock before coming in!" She admonished him. "This is your room too."

"Sorry, its gonna take some time, that's all." He said as he put his suitcase down on the floor. She welcomed him with a hug and a kiss.

"Hungry? Why don't we go out for dinner?" She could see that he was almost terrified being with her.

"Yeah, uh, that sounds great. There's a new place on the bay. I, uh, can call, yeah, call and make a reservation." He offered nervously.

Raven stroked his muscular arm. "If they're booked we can go somewhere else, I just want to spend some time with you."

He nodded and picked up the phone. Fortunately it was a slow night and he was able to make the reservation.

"We'd better get going, it's in 30 minutes."

Dinner was a quiet and awkward affair. It was as if they were meeting for the first time, two strangers trying to assess each other, only worse. They knew each other intimately, and at the same time they were strangers. They ate their meal quietly, not knowing what to say to each other. Soon they were on their way back to the Tower and ended up in the common room. Starfire, Terra and little Raven were there.

"Daddy!" the little green girl shouted as she ran to her father, who scooped her up and swung her around as she giggled.

"Sweet Pea, its way past your bed time!" He chided her, but with a smile on his face.

"She refused to go to sleep until you came home BB. I don't know how she did it, look at her, she's exhausted."

Terra was right, as little Raven had already laid her small head on Garfield's shoulder. Raven placed a hand on his arm. "Go ahead and tuck her in, Gar, it's obvious she's been missing you."

"Why don't you go with him Raven, she needs to get to know you too. She is your stepdaughter after all." Terra suggested. Raven nodded her head and followed her husband and stepdaughter out of the common room. After they were gone Starfire placed her hand on Terra's.

"When are you going to tell them, Terra? This is important news you have shared with me."

"I guess I have to, I can't hide it from him forever" she sighed "This is going to make things even more complicated."

The Princess nodded in agreement. "Yes, it will make things more difficult for him, but do not be despondent; your news is not bad, only its timing is unfortunate."

_**-( - )-**_

Raven and Beast Boy walked down the hallway to Terra's apartment. He punched in the code to unlock the door, which immediately slid open. Raven followed him inside, all the way to the bedroom in the back. The crib was set up next to the king sized bed, a bed that until today was Gar's bed, but had now become forbidden territory, under pain of death. They walked past the bed to the crib and Gar gently laid his daughter down for a night of peaceful slumber. Raven leaned over and caressed her blond head, followed by a gentle good night kiss on her cheek.

"You're very fond of her. Why?" he asked gently.

"How could I not love her? She's your baby. She's the closest I'll come to having a daughter of my own. Poor Starfire, she doesn't even have that."

Beast Boy drew her into a tender hug. "You're a good sport. A lot of women would have hated her if they were in your shoes."

Raven sighed. "Maybe. I guess we'd better get back to the common room. We don't want to wake her." She said as she gave little Raven a friendly pat on the behind.

"No diaper?"

"She's been potty trained for a month."

"You're a good father, Gar. I'm really proud of you." She told him as they walked back to the common room.

_**-( - )-**_

As they entered the common room they could see that Terra wasn crying while Starfire tried to console her. As soon as the Geomancer noticed they had entered she turned away, frantically trying to pull herself together.

"Terra! What's wrong?" he asked.

Terra could not stop sobbing. "I'm sorry BB, I really am. I was going to tell you soon. Had I known that things were about to change I would have told you before. Please believe me."

Raven placed a hand on Terra's shoulder. "It's OK Terra. Just tell us what is the matter."

Terra sobbed even harder and Starfire intervened. "Would you like me to tell them the news?" Terra nodded her consent.

Raven stepped back. "Oh no, you aren't ill Terra, are you?"

"No friends, Terra is perfectly healthy, at least physically."

"Then what's wrong?" Beast Boy asked.

"Garfield" Starfire addressed him. "You and Terra are going to have another baby."

_**-( - )-**_

Raven sat on the edge of her bed, still stunned from the news. She was wearing the Victoria's Secret nightgown Starfire had given her as a present years ago, which Garfield had long ago confessed to her was his favorite. The seductive piece of lingerie felt inappropriate to her now and she was about to get up and change into something more chaste as her husband emerged from the bathroom wearing some Lion King boxers.

"Lion King? I didn't know that you had a Simba complex." She joked.

He chuckled. "When little Rae was potty trained we bought her some new undies as a reward. She chose Lion King underwear at the store, and then insisted that Terra and I also needed Lion King underwear. But to be honest I really like what you're wearing. I see you haven't forgotten what I like."

"I'm sorry, I'll change."

"Time out! Where are you going? You don't have to change."

Raven walked over to the desk. Their marriage certificate was still unrolled and she picked it up and appeared to study it.

"You belong with them, Gar. You have a family, a real family. I can't take you from them, no matter how badly I want you. It would be wrong, the kind of thing my father would do, so I can't do that." She sighed before continuing "I want you to exercise the escape clause, and don't tell me you won't do it, because I'll run away and you'll never see me again. I promise you that."

"Are you sure Rae? Will you be OK?"

"I don't know if I'll be OK, but it has to be done."

"But what about you?"

"I'll still have you Gar; you'll always be my best friend, right?"

Garfield embraced his wife while sobbing quietly.

"Of course I will." He sniffled. "Ok, I'll do it, but not until tomorrow."

"No!" she interrupted. "We must do it now. I know what you're thinking. I'd also like one last night together, but it'll be best if we don't."

He could see the tears forming in her eyes. "As always, you're right. I'll always love you RaVe, I always will." He choked back. "I guess there's no point waiting. Let's get this over with."

"Yes" she said between faint sobs, "Let's get it over with."

They walked back to the desk where the certificate was still lying after Raven put it back down. She opened a book and placed it on the desk, pointing to the words Gar needed to say. He placed his palm on the certificate.

"I invoke my legal right to terminate this marriage on grounds of criminal behavior." he pronounced, his voice was trembling. As soon as he completed the invocation red words formed on the certificate. They simply said 'Marriage Terminated, effective November 7, 2009'. It was done. They sat on the bed and held each other, both crying.

"You'd better get going." She told him, while handing him the certificate. He embraced her one last time before walking out the door.

It had happened, she was alone again. It was her inevitable fate. She had no idea of what she was going to do now. Should she return to Azarath? She felt agitated and decided that some meditation was what she needed. After moving into the Lotus position and began to meditate. She repeated her mantra 1, 10, 100, 1000 times? She did not know. Inner peace was searched for, but it eluded her. She lost all track of time and only realized how long she had been struggling when the sun rose and lit up her room. Dejected she gave up and fell on her bed.

"_You will always be alone with them, dear daughter. You will never find comfort in their company. You belong with me."_

"Go away! Return to Hell where you belong." She snarled.

"_I am in Hell, dear Raven. I cannot escape."_

"Then leave me alone."

"_Yes, alone. That is your curse, isn't it Raven, to always be alone. You tried to be like them, and look where it got you. He slept in her bed last night, didn't he? How many more children will he father with her?"_

"SHUT UP!" she screamed.

"_Come home to me Raven. It's where you belong. I promise you will never be alone. I will even find you a suitable mate."_

"A suitable mate? Like who? Hitler? Slade? Jack the Ripper? Get real!"

"_It will be easier once you accept your true nature, and it will come to pass my daughter, it will, for it is inevitable. And if it happens while you reside in the land of mortals you will destroy them, all of them, including your lover and his children."_

"That's a lie, it will never happen. And he's not my lover anymore. He belongs to Terra now, I gave him to her."

"_Oh yes, my noble daughter gave her husband away. So selfless. Mark my words; you will commit adultery with him before the month is over and it will be the best sex you will have ever enjoyed."_

"I would never do that! Now leave me alone!" she HISSED between clenched teeth.

"_As you wish my daughter, but remember you cannot escape who you are."_

And with that Trigon's voice was gone. Raven was panting and her heart was racing.

_He can't be right, he can't be._


	38. Chapter 38

Alternate ending – Chapter 4

_**-( - )-**_

Beast Boy woke up in the room he had called home for the past 3 years. Terra was lying next to him; still sound asleep, her naked figure wrapped around him, a smile on her face. Their marriage certificate was on the nightstand, the word "Annulled" had vanished just as magically as it had appeared. Little Raven was in her crib, snoring softly. He made a mental note to move her out of the bedroom into her own room, as it was a miracle they didn't wake her the night before while they engaged in their enthusiastic lovemaking. Terra has reacted first with shock and then delight when Beast Boy told her that he was no longer married to Raven.

Nevertheless in the stillness and quiet of the early morning hour his thoughts turned to Raven. She had spent the night alone after turning him loose. He could only imagine the agony she had gone through the night before, the bitter loneliness. He had only been married to her a few months but he knew that being alone was her greatest fear. He resolved to make it up to her, he would do whatever he could to ward off her loneliness, he owed her that much.

_**-( - )-**_

Raven heard a knock on her door. She was tired from her lack of sleep and her mental encounter with her father had taken anything she had left out of her. She had just gotten under the covers and was tempted to ignore the knocking and go to sleep, but the truth was she needed some company. She unlocked and opened the door with her dark energy, the gift from her father that kept on giving. It was Gar, with a breakfast tray.

"I brought you some breakfast." He announced cautiously as he walked in.

Raven's heart skipped a beat, joyful that he had come to see her, but knowing that it would be better had it been anyone else, her father's prediction was still ringing in her ears. She sat up in her bed and he placed the tray on her lap. He had made her favorites: real bacon, non vegan waffles and two soft boiled eggs.

"You are a dear." She said softly. "Did you sleep well?"

"We did, they're both still asleep. Nightwing's called a team meeting at 9:00 AM. I guess Star told him about Terra's pregnancy."

"I suppose that's as a good a time as any to update everyone on the marital situation in the Tower."

"Yeah, that's gonna be awkward. Well, I'd better go get ready for the day." He bent over and gave her a chaste peck on the lips. She quickly grabbed his wrist.

"Gar, we have to be very careful. My father visited me less than an hour ago. He predicted that we will commit adultery before the month is over." She paused "We can't let that happen, under no circumstances. So please don't kiss me, not even on the cheek. In fact I think we should avoid each other altogether until the end of the month. Do you understand?"

He nodded. "Don't worry, I understand, I'll stay away. Will you be OK though?"

"I suppose so. I'll hang out with Starfire or something I suppose."

He took her hand and squeezed it. "See you around." And then he was gone. Raven finished her meal in silence.

_**-( - )-**_

Nightwing stood in front of the assembled Titans. There were now a total of ten members on the team. In addition to the 5 original members and Terra they had been joined by Wondergirl, Miss Martian, Blue Beetle and Static. Beast Boy and Terra chatted with Nightwing prior to the meeting and he was unable to hide his surprise at whatever it was that they had told him. Raven arrived in the common room just before 9 and Nightwing also had a quick discussion with her. The other Titans could only speculate what they had been discussing. Finally Nightwing called the Titans to order.

"OK team, this was going to be a short meeting where we would just review this week's patrol schedule, but that will wait until later. We have several events to discuss. First of all as we all now know Raven was able to escape from Hell where she had been trapped by her father Trigon the Terrible for over 5 years. I need not say how happy we all are about this, especially those of us on who were on the original team. We missed Raven and mourned her loss, mistakenly believing that she could not return to us. All I can say now is: Welcome home Raven."

A polite round of applause was heard and soon died out.

"Raven's return did create some complications, in particular for Garfield and Terra Logan. Raven has found a solution to this situation and will explain it to us now."

Raven stood up and observed the mixed crowd, some old friends, others who were near strangers, but all were Titans. This wasn't going to be easy. She pulled out a sheet of paper and began to read her statement.

"Friends as most of you know Gar and I were married almost 6 years ago in an Azarathian ritual. Azarathian marriages cannot be dissolved, except through death and are protected by a curse. There is an escape clause which allows a spouse to terminate the marriage if the other commits a felony, which as most of you know I did while living in Azarath. When I escaped from Hell back into this dimension our Azarathian marriage became valid again, along with the curse. To make a long story short I demanded that Gar exercise the escape clause so he could return to his second wife, our friend Terra and their daughter. He complied with my request and I can tell you with certainty that that I am no longer 'Raven Logan'. I wish Gar and Terra the best and hope they will have a long and happy marriage. I intend to remain with the Titans into the foreseeable future. Gar and I remain dear friends and we still love each other very much, and I expect we always will, but only as friends."

After she was done she folded her statement and after tucking it into her belt she sat down. The room was silent as the Titans were stunned she had done such a selfless act. Best Boy stood up and cleared his throat.

"I also want to announce that Terra and I are expecting another child and are most grateful for Raven's act of compassion and bravery. You are my dearest friend Raven and always will be."

The assembly broke out in applause and the Titans rushed to congratulate Gar and Terra. Beast Boy saw Raven alone in the far corner of the common room, ignored by everyone. Their eyes connected and Raven shook her head and he remembered his promise to avoid her for a while. He mouthed the words "I Love You" to her to which she mouthed back "I know" before she walked out of the room.

_**-( - )-**_

A few weeks had passed and it was now Thanksgiving Day (for my non American readers, Thanksgiving Day is always the fourth Thursday in November and is a national holiday commonly known for the mass consumption of roast turkey and watching parades and American Football games on TV). Cyborg, still the team's unofficial chef prepared a traditional feast for his friends. Beast Boy had always boycotted the holiday, claiming it was an empty excuse to butcher defenseless turkeys. This had always been a source of tension between him and Terra, who loved the holiday and the meal associated with it. Beast Boy invariably wound up alone in his room, eating a whole pumpkin pie by himself and this year had been no different, except that he also had a few bread rolls to eat with the pie. He turned on the TV and was watching what was left of the Dallas Cowboys & Denver Broncos game, which he soon realized he didn't care one whit about and turned it off just as he heard a knock on the door. Much to his surprise it was Raven, who had prepared him a vegetarian Thanksgiving dinner.

"I figured it wouldn't be good for you to eat a whole pumpkin pie again this year." She said as she pushed a tea cart with food into his room.

They hadn't exchanged a single word since the morning he had made her breakfast. He missed her terribly. They tried to avoid being in the same room together and the only time they were in each other's presence was during missions. Nightwing placed Terra on maternity leave from the beginning, arguing that an unborn child had no business being present during dangerous fights with super villains. Beast Boy and Terra usually served together when fighting villains and Nightwing tried to pair Raven and Beast boy instead, but Raven refused, saying that the she preferred to operate solo.

"Thanks." He replied gratefully as he helped himself to some sautéed tofu. "You're the only one who ever respected my vegetarianism."

"Well, somebody had to." she replied in her old monotone voice.

"Yeah, well I wish Terra would." He said between mouthfuls."Damn Rae, this is good!"

"You're just hungry." She smirked.

He rolled his eyes. She never would accept compliments, especially for her cooking.

"So how have you been?"

"OK, I guess. Spending a lot of time with Starfire. Keeping busy and all that."

He could see that the she had not been well. She has lost weight since her return, as she seemed to subsist on nothing but herbal tea.

"Have you had anything to eat yet?"

"Nope, I'm not hungry though."

"You never are these days, you never eat. How much weight have you lost?" He needled her.

"I'll be fine."

"No you won't. C'mon, you can have some of my dinner." He said as he scooped a portion for her.

"We shouldn't be together." She complained.

"And yet we are. C'mon, we're having dinner, nothing's gonna happen."

Raven took the plate from him and began to slowly eat, picking at her food, clearly not wanting to consume it."

"So why haven't you been eating?"

"Do you really need to ask?"

He took her hand. "I miss you."

She knew it was time to leave, but realized she didn't care. All that awaited her on the other side of that door was loneliness and despair. The pain of watching him with his family. The pain of watching him with her. She didn't harbor any animosity towards Terra, far from it. She had been civil with her since her return, although she had been avoiding Raven since the divorce. She couldn't blame her though, it was an awkward situation. She raised his hand to her lips and kissed it.

"I've missed you too, more than you could ever imagine." Before she could say anything else his lips were upon hers. She had longed to taste that sweet nectar again and she was not disappointed.

"Not here!" She said breathlessly as she swung her cape around him, phasing them out of the room and into hers.

She cast a soundproofing spell to conceal their presence, which turned out to be a wise decision. She felt like an animal in heat and undressed him furiously. Trigon's prediction came true as the two howled in ecstasy, so exquisite was their pleasure. At one point Raven turned and saw her reflection in the mirror, and saw four red eyes glowing back at her. She failed. Her father was right; she could not deny her true nature. But she did not care, she was with her beloved and if it was a sin, then so be it.

Once it was over Raven panicked, as she realized how much time had elapsed.

"We have to shower!" she said as she bolted from her bed. "We reek of each other's scent." Gar's eyes widened upon the realization and they quickly washed each other in the shower. After dressing hastily they phased back to his room. She used a sleeping spell so Terra would find him asleep on the bed with the TV blaring. She then retreated to her room where she wept.

_How could I have done that?_

"_Did I not tell you dear daughter?"_

"Yes Father, you did."

"_Accept your true nature Raven, if you do I can arrange for him to be with you. You know that is what you want child. He is your mate and I can give him back to you."_

Raven did not respond.

"_Consider my offer. I will contact you again soon."_


	39. Chapter 39

Alternate ending – Chapter 5

"_Consider my offer. I will contact you again soon."_

Raven sat quietly, her heart pounding furiously. He was not going to leave her alone, that much was certain. He was persistent and a master at exploiting weakness. And he knew what her weakness was. She dropped her head, cradling it in her hands. What had she done?

She turned and surveyed the incriminating evidence before her. The unmade bed screamed out in witness to what had happened there just minutes before. As she looked she could she herself, lying on top of him in passionate embrace, his hands cradling her hips. She closed her eyes and turned away, but it didn't help. The bed was saturated with his musky scent.

She got up and fled. Before she knew it she was in the common room, where Nightwing and Starfire were clearing the remainder of the dinner. She masked the guilt from her face. All her years of suppressing her emotions paid off, as nobody noticed anything unusual about her.

"Let me give you guys a hand." She offered nonchalantly.

"Thank you Raven. Did Beast Boy enjoy the vegetarian dinner you made for him?" Starfire asked.

"I guess so. He was eating it when I left." She lied as she helped to clear the table.

"That was nice of you Raven" Cyborg called from the kitchen. "You're the only one here who ever bothered to learn how to cook his kind of food. You should teach Terra, ya know?"

"Sure, anytime."

Terra entered the kitchen pushing the teacart, followed by a drowsy looking Beast Boy.

"Guess how I found him?" she beamed.

"Asleep with the TV on?" the bionic man jeered. "You are so predictable, grass stain."

Raven was busy washing the fine crystal ware in the sink. She avoided looking at Beast Boy, while Terra scooped Beast Boy's vegetarian leftovers from the teacart into some containers. He could eat them tomorrow. She chastised her husband for filling up on pie while hardly touching Raven's home cooked meal.

"Why don't you help Raven with dishes, it's the least you do to thank her." Terra badgered him.

Raven handed him a drying cloth, their eyes meeting furtively.

"You know what? " Cyborg remarked. "This is the first time I've seen you two together in weeks."

_**-( - )-**_

Raven and Beast Boy took off for a late night patrol. Nightwing insisted that Raven discontinue her solo patrols as he still remembered the day when Raven was ambushed and nearly killed years ago. This was their third week patrolling together and Raven had volunteered them for a double shift since a few of the Titans were struggling with the flu, including Nightwing. Beast Boy kissed Terra and "Sweet Pea" goodnight as he would be gone until dawn.

"Be safe" Terra called out to the pair as the quietly flew away. Beast Boy had morphed into an owl. Their patrol mostly covered the downtown area, which is where most of the nighttime crime occurred in Jump City. After they completed their first round they headed towards a medium height building.

Beast Boy flew up next to Raven and she cast a black bubble around them, allowing them to phase through the building's exterior. They reappeared inside a small but tastefully appointed studio apartment that Raven had rented weeks ago using an alias. As soon as Beast Boy morphed back into his human form she began to kiss him passionately. Within minutes they were in bed.

Beast Boy didn't even feel guilty anymore. While Terra hadn't said anything he suspected that she knew. She was never angry or distant from him, but she seemed listless and was no longer interested in lovemaking. When they had married she had accepted that Raven's memory would always hover over them. How could she expect now that they would be able to "only be friends"?

Raven kept a police scanner in the room in case some major happened while they made love. They had never been interrupted and this night was no different. The even lingered for a while after they were done; Beast Boy had dozed off while Raven caressed his hair. Soon two hours had passed and Raven roused him from his slumber. It was time to resume their patrol. They showered, as they always did after their rendezvous, and headed out to resume their duty.

After another uneventful hour they were ready to call it quits when Beast Boy heard a faint cry for help. He informed the Tower that they were going to investigate and proceeded in the direction of the voice which was now screaming frantically. As they arrived they saw that it was a burly man who was beating a young woman in an alley. A pimp and a hooker. As Beast Boy landed he morphed back into his human form and approached the couple.

"Ok buddy, let's just relax, there's no need to hurt her." He knew the police would just release him immediately; there was no point in arresting him.

"Mind your own business freak!" the pimp snarled at him.

Raven leaped forward "Don't you dare call him that!"

The pimp whirled around as his lady of the night screamed. He had a .45 caliber pistol in his hand, aimed at Raven. Beast Boy pushed her out of the way as he fired. Raven heard a sickening splat sound and watched in horror as Beast Boy collapsed to the ground. The bullet had passed completely through his brain, destroying it beyond Raven's healing abilities. He was dead before he hit the ground. The pimp stood in shock, realizing what he had just done.

"I'm sorry" he stammered. "I didn't mean to …" he whimpered as he stared into Raven's 4 glowing red eyes.

_**-( - )-**_

Nightwing and Starfire were the first to arrive. The first thing they saw was Raven covered in blood, sobbing while cradling Beast Boy's lifeless body. Nightwing then saw the pimp Beast Boy had reported lying dead on the ground. He knew what had happened. Starfire turned away from the grisly scene and began to wail. Nightwing place a consoling hand on Raven's shoulder. He then knelt down next to her and began to weep.

_**-( - )-**_

The middle aged woman walked softly down the lawn, her footsteps made no sound. It was a cold autumn day, but that did not deter her. As far as she could tell she was alone in the park, but then again she usually was. She returned every month to Jump City to meet him, and she would be damned if unseasonably cold weather would make her miss her appointment. The walk to the rendezvous point was long, but that's how it had to be.

She arrived, punctual as always. She walked up to the marker and placed a single red rose on it. She knelt down next to the grave and wept quietly. Today was the twentieth anniversary of his death.

"Aunt Raven?"

The woman stood up, caught by surprise as she had not heard anyone approach. She was wearing a black wool skirt and coat, with a thick gray cloak and hood which she lowered. Her hair was beginning to turn gray, but was still mostly violet.

There were two young adults standing before her. One male and one female. Both were as green as their father had been. She had not seen them in years since she moved away from Jump City when they were children. The boy took her breath away, as he looked so much like his father. He had dyed his hair green to complete the illusion and was only lacking his father's protruding fang.

"Raven, Mark. I'm sorry if I'm intruding…"

"Don't be silly, we came here to look for you. We were hoping you would be here." The green girl said as she hugged the sorceress. "Won't you please come back to the tower with us?"

She shook her head. "I can't sweet pea. I just can't"

"Why?" the boy asked.

"I'm too ashamed to tell you."

"Aunt Raven, we know about you and dad. Mom told us years ago. It's OK. Please come home. You shouldn't be alone."

"No, it's not OK. What I did was unforgiveable. I betrayed your mother's confidence."

Her niece hugged her even tighter. "You loved dad, you were his wife once. We all forgive you. Now will you please come home?"

Raven cupped her nephew's cheek in her hand. "You look so much like your father."

He took her hand and kissed her. "We love you, Aunt Raven."

Raven heard a car door slam and saw Richard and Starfire standing next to a limo, waving to her. Terra was standing next to them.

"Well?" Mark asked.

"OK, let's go home."

THE END (again)


End file.
